A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter is believed to have claimed 67 lives. While the Army has released the names of two military personnel aboard the helicopter, they have chosen not to publicly identify the third pilot.
On January 31, two days after the tragic crash, the U.S. Army issued a statement on its website. The statement confirmed that a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It further detailed that the aircraft, assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, collided in midair with American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet.
The U.S. Army has identified one of the service members involved in the crash as Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia.
The second pilot, whose body has yet to be recovered and is classified as duty status-whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN), has been named as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland.
As for the third crew member aboard the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into the Potomac River, their identity remains undisclosed at the family’s request.
“That pilot is also DUSTWUN,” the Army stated.
The tragic crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the US Army and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“The NTSB will lead the investigation. We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available,” the US Army stated.
As per the New York Post, the third Black Hawk pilot, whose identity remains unknown, was female.
Citing Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff of the army’s aviation directorate, the Telegraph reported that the unidentified military member was an experienced pilot with over 500 hours of flight time.
The decision by the Army not to reveal the name of the third pilot flying the Black Hawk caused a stir among the public. Many question if there is more to the story than what they present to the people.
According to Newsweek, independent journalist Kyle Becker questioned the U.S. Army’s decision to withhold the name of the third Black Hawk pilot involved in the deadly mid-air collision.
“‘At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time,’” Becker wrote on X. “The U.S. Army is still declining to release the name of the female Black Hawk helicopter pilot at the family’s request. This is extremely odd. It is only going to fuel more suspicion that military policies may have played a role in the crash.”
Becker argued that given the national significance of the incident, the public has a right to know. “Do you believe the Army should release the name of the pilot?” he asked his followers.
Conservative country singer John Rich also questioned the lack of transparency, asking why the White House is keeping the pilot’s name confidential.
The collision between the U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet left 67 people dead, making it one of the deadliest air disasters in recent U.S. history. The Army maintains that the decision respects the family’s wishes.
