The U.S. Military has recognized the third pilot of the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airline CRJ-700 passenger jet on Wednesday because it was on strategy to land at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport, killing 67 individuals.
Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one among three troopers aboard the chopper that crashed into the jet simply because it was coming into land.
The Military had initially refused to establish Lobach on the request of her household however the determination to launch her identify got here ‘on the request of and in coordination with the household,’ in response to a press release launched by the Military.
‘We’re devastated by the lack of our beloved Rebecca. She was a vibrant star in all our lives,’ her household stated. ‘Rebecca was a warrior and wouldn’t hesitate to defend her nation in battle.’
Lobach had labored as a White Home aide in the course of the Biden administration and had served as an aviation officer within the Military from July 2019 till January 2025.
Her household went on to explain her as ‘sort, beneficiant, sensible, humorous, formidable and robust.’
Lobach had been awarded the Military Commendation Medal, Military Achievement Medal, Nationwide Protection Service Medal and Military Service Ribbon.
Lobach started her profession in the USA Military as a distinguished navy graduate in ROTC on the College of North Carolina, and was within the high 20 p.c of cadets nationwide her household defined.
Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one among three troopers aboard the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airways jet because it was touchdown
The Military had initially refused to establish Lobach on the request of her household however the determination to launch her identify got here ‘on the request of and in coordination with the household,’ in response to a press release launched by the Military.
She achieved the rank of Captain, having twice served as a Platoon Chief and as a Firm Government Officer within the twelfth Aviation Battalion, Davison Military Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
With greater than 450 hours of flight time, she earned certification as a pilot-in-command after intensive testing by probably the most senior and skilled pilots in her battalion.
Pilot in cost Chief Warrant Workplace 2 Andrew Eaves and crew chief Employees Sergeant Ryan O’Hara have been each named on Friday as these on board the helicopter.
Eaves’ grieving widow Carrie stated: ‘I’m positive by now all of you might have heard the information of the tragedy that has occurred in DC.
‘My husband was one of many pilots within the Blackhawk. We ask that you simply pray for our household and associates and for all the opposite households which can be struggling at this time. We ask for peace whereas we grieve.’
She shared a number of photographs of Eaves, one among which he was in uniform, and requested her associates to share any footage they could have of him as a tribute to his reminiscence.
In the meantime, O’Hara, 28, left behind a spouse and a one-year-old son, and was remembered fondly by his his college as a beloved member of the rifle staff.
His father, Gary, was watching tv on the sofa at his Halfway, Georgia, house on Wednesday evening when he noticed the breaking information {that a} business airplane had collided with a navy helicopter.
Rebecca Lobach achieved the rank of Captain, having twice served as a Platoon Chief and as a Firm Government Officer within the twelfth Aviation Battalion, Davison Military Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Rebecca Lobach is seen as a presentation on the College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the place future leaders of the U.S. Military are solid
Lobach had labored as a White Home aide in the course of the Biden administration and had served as an aviation officer within the Military from July 2019 till January 2025
Chief Warrant Officer 2, Andrew Eaves was one among three troopers participating within the fateful coaching train over Washington DC on Wednesday evening
‘My husband was one of many pilots within the Blackhawk. We ask that you simply pray for our household and associates and for all the opposite households which can be struggling at this time. We ask for peace whereas we grieve,’ Andrew Eaves widow, Carrie, stated
Ryan O’Hara from Georgia was on board the doomed helicopter when it plunged into the Potomac River on Wednesday evening
He advised the Washington Publish: ‘I simply had a intestine feeling after I noticed the story breaking.’
About 10am Thursday, two Military officers knocked on his door to ship the horrific information, his 28-year-old son was among the many casualties.
‘As a guardian, how do you are taking the information like this and never be completely damaged?’ he requested.
‘His mom and I and his sister are simply completely devastated to assume we have been speaking to him simply yesterday and we’ll by no means have the chance to speak with him once more.’
Retired Military chief warrant officer Jonathan Koziol advised ABC Information that trio have been ‘very skilled.’
O’Hara individually had a whole lot of hours of flight time logged, whereas Eaves, the trainer pilot working the coaching drill, had ‘greater than 1,000 hours of flight time.’
Lobach had additionally logged greater than 450 hours, Koziol stated.
‘Each pilots had flown this particular route earlier than at evening — this wasn’t one thing new to both of them,’ he stated.
‘These are our high pilots doing this Nationwide Capital Area.’
Nobody survived the Wednesday evening’s collision. The stays of 42 individuals had been pulled from the river by Saturday afternoon, together with 38 that had been positively recognized, in response to Washington emergency officers.
They anticipate to recuperate the entire stays, although the wreckage of the airplane’s fuselage will most likely need to be pulled from the water to get all of the our bodies, officers stated.
On Friday evening the helicopter ‘was briefly stabilized with a crane to help in restoration efforts, nonetheless, it has not been faraway from the water,’ the Washington Hearth and EMS Division stated within the Saturday assertion.
The collision occurred as an American Airways flight from Wichita, Kansas carrying 64 passengers was getting ready to land simply throughout the Potomac from the nation’s capital, and hit an Military Black Hawk helicopter that flew into the jet’s path.
Military officers have stated the helicopter crew was extremely skilled, and acquainted with the congested skies across the metropolis.
Army plane often make such flights to observe routes they might use if key authorities officers have to be evacuated throughout an assault or main disaster.
The 2 plane collided in an enormous fireball that was seen on dashcams of vehicles driving on highways close to the airport earlier than it plunged into the river
Components of the wreckage seen sitting within the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Military Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday evening, killing 67 individuals
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board is scheduled to replace reporters on Saturday night.
Investigators are inspecting the actions of the navy pilot and air site visitors management. Full NTSB investigations sometimes take a minimum of a 12 months, although investigators hope to have a preliminary report inside 30 days.
Different attainable elements within the crash, together with the helicopter’s altitude and whether or not the crew was utilizing evening imaginative and prescient goggles, are nonetheless underneath investigation, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth advised Fox Information Channel.
Black bins have been recovered from each plane.
Greater than 300 responders have been participating within the restoration effort at a given time, officers stated.
After a wet Friday, clear skies and hotter temperatures made for higher circumstances Saturday for employees within the subject.
Two Navy salvage barges have been additionally anticipated to reach to elevate heavy wreckage.
On this picture supplied by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board, NTSB investigators look at cockpit voice recorder and flight information recorder in Washington
Emergency automobiles and restoration operations are seen close to the mouth of the Anacostia River on the Potomac River close to Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport on Saturday
Police and coast guard boats are seen round a wreckage web site within the Potomac River as an American Airways airplane passes within the foreground at Ronald Reagan Airport on Saturday
Nationwide Transportation Security Board member Todd Inman speaks with reporters at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport on Friday
‘That is heartbreaking work,’ Washington, D.C., Hearth Chief John Donnelly Sr. advised reporters advised reporters Friday. ‘It´s been a troublesome response for lots of our individuals.’
On Saturday a trio of longtime associates got here to the Potomac shoreline, searching for a strategy to keep in mind the victims.
The Federal Aviation Administration closely restricted helicopter site visitors across the airport on Friday, hours after President Donald Trump claimed in a social media publish that the helicopter had been flying greater than allowed.
NTSB member Todd Inman advised reporters on Friday that investigators had interviewed a minimum of one air site visitors controller who was working when the crash occurred. He stated interviews have been ongoing and that it was unclear what number of controllers have been on responsibility on the time.
Investigators may even look at staffing ranges, coaching, hiring and different elements, along with controllers’ information.
The FAA has lengthy struggled with a scarcity of air site visitors controllers.
Officers say the helicopter’s most allowed altitude on the time was 200 toes although they haven’t stated whether or not it had exceeded that restrict.
The black field recorder from the helicopter, which accommodates each the cockpit voice recorder and the flight information receiver, was discovered amidst the wreckage on Friday
Officers have confirmed that the three troopers, who all perished, had been rehearsing a plan that includes the evacuation of the White Home
However on Friday, at some point after he questioned the helicopter pilot’s actions and blamed range initiatives for undermining air security, Trump stated the helicopter was ‘flying too excessive.’
‘It was far above the 200 foot restrict. That is probably not too sophisticated to grasp, is it???’ Trump wrote in a Fact Social publish.
Wednesday’s crash was the deadliest within the U.S. since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed right into a residential neighborhood within the New York Metropolis borough of Queens, simply after takeoff from Kennedy Airport.
The crash killed all 260 individuals on board and 5 individuals on the bottom.
Consultants usually spotlight that airplane journey is overwhelmingly secure, however the crowded airspace round Reagan Nationwide can problem even probably the most experiences pilots.
