Black Hawk Pilot Missed Critical Command Seconds Before Deadly Midair Crash That Killed 67
A chilling new investigation has revealed that moments before a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet over Washington, D.C., the military pilot failed to carry out a final crucial instruction—a decision that may have directly led to the tragic crash that killed all 67 people onboard both aircraft.
According to a bombshell report published by The New York Times on April 27, the January 29 midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 stands as one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the U.S. in more than 20 years.
“A Total System Collapse”
The Times report, based on interviews with aviation experts and internal investigation documents, makes it clear: this wasn’t just the result of a single mistake or even a handful of them. It was a systemic failure.
“Multiple layers of safety precautions failed that night,” said Katie Thomson, the FAA’s deputy administrator.
Who Was on the Black Hawk?
Onboard the Black Hawk were three military personnel. Capt. Rebecca Lobach, 28, the highest-ranking officer on board, was undergoing a flight evaluation meant to simulate evacuating top government officials from Washington during an emergency. She was seated in the front left seat, handling communications. Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, her flight instructor, was flying the aircraft. Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara was in the rear handling technical duties.
Although Lobach held the higher rank, Eaves was more experienced as a pilot.
Missed Altitudes, Missed Warnings
In the final minutes before the crash, the Black Hawk was flying low over Washington’s iconic cherry blossoms. Voice recordings reveal that Lobach called out an altitude of 300 feet, but Eaves countered with 400 feet—a discrepancy that raises questions about situational awareness and instrumentation accuracy.
At 8:44 p.m., the helicopter was at 300 feet and, according to standard procedures, needed to descend further. Eaves reportedly had to repeat this command, but Lobach did not comply. The chopper remained above 200 feet—well above the FAA’s mandated ceiling for that area.
Vital Instructions Blocked
As the helicopter approached a congested airspace near Ronald Reagan National Airport, an air traffic controller warned of a nearby passenger jet. However, investigators believe the Black Hawk crew may have accidentally “stepped on” the transmission—activating their microphone at the same time as the controller was speaking—preventing them from hearing the full message.
Responding to the partial warning, Eaves radioed, “PAT two-five has traffic in sight. Request visual separation,” referring to a risky maneuver where pilots avoid another aircraft without further air traffic control guidance.
“Vis sep approved,” the controller responded—effectively handing full collision-avoidance responsibility to the helicopter crew.
A Broken Safety System
Aviation experts say the “see and avoid” system—relying on pilots’ visual detection of other aircraft—has long been known as dangerously flawed.
“It’s been linked to multiple deadly midair crashes,” Jeff Guzzetti, a former FAA and NTSB crash investigator, told the Times.
The Final 15 Seconds
Only 15 seconds before the crash, Eaves told Lobach he believed air traffic control wanted them to turn left, toward the river—a move that would have created more distance from the passenger plane. But Lobach did not alter course.
At 8:48 p.m., the Black Hawk struck the American Airlines jet midair, creating a fireball visible from the ground and killing everyone on both aircraft instantly.
Ongoing Investigation
Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, the Army’s director of aviation, said the crash is still under review.
“I think what we’ll find in the end is there were multiple things that, had any one of them gone differently, the outcome of that night might have changed,” he told the Times.
