DC plane crash update: Army identifies helicopter pilot taking part in ‘doomsday’ training as black box recovered
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The US Army has identified the third pilot of the Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet as Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from North Carolina.
In a statement, her family said: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”
The Army’s helicopter was performing “doomsday” training when it collided with the jet above Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, according to a new report.
The helicopter was flying a route that’s part of a military plan to evacuate senior government officials to safety if the U.S. is attacked, Reuters reports. The military mission is known as “continuity of government” and “continuity of operations.”
Meanwhile, three black boxes — one from the Black Hawk helicopter and two from the American Airlines jet — have been recovered from the wreckage in Washington D.C.’s Potomac River, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
At least 41 bodies have been recovered so far, officials said. All 67 people involved in the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are presumed dead.
All three service members onboard the helicopter have now been named by the Army.
Loved ones of DCA victims worried Philadelphia crash will delay answers
NTSB member Todd Ilman said that the families of the victims of the DCA crash were concerned that the shocking incident in Philadelphia, in which an air ambulance came down in a residential area, would delay the NTSB’s investigation.
Asked about the families on Saturday evening, Ilman said: “I spent several hours with them today.
“There’s more, some new there’s some that have been there for three days, some that want to give us hugs. Some that are just mad and angry. They’re just all hurt, and they still want answers, and we want to give them answers.
He added: “The most devastating thing, I guess, today was, they watched the news last night.
“They know their loved ones. They’re thinking, is it going to take longer? Am I going to be able to find my loved one? How will this affect it? I mean, it’s horrible, and no one ever should suffer this. So, yeah, it is hard on them. They have a lot of questions.”
Mike Bedigan2 February 2025 14:00
Mapped: How American Airlines plane collided with Black Hawk army helicopter
Holly Evans2 February 2025 13:30
Third crew member of Black Hawk helicopter identified
The Army has released the name of the third crew member of the Black Hawk helicopter.
Captain Rebecca Lobach, 28, was from Durham, North Carolina.
She was a distinguished military graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and commissioned in 2019 as an active-duty aviation officer.
Mike Bedigan2 February 2025 13:00
Third helicopter pilot names as Capt Rebecca M. Lobach
The US Army has identified the third pilot of the Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet as Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from North Carolina.
The Army had initially refused to identify Lobach at the request of her family but the decision to release her name came ‘at the request of and in coordination with the family,’ according to a statement released by the Army.
In a statement, her family said: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”
Holly Evans2 February 2025 12:40
NTSB starts Saturday DC conference with remarks on Philadelphia crash
NTSB spokesman Todd Ilman kicked off Saturday evening’s DCA press conference by acknowledging the shocking crash that happened in Philadelphia on Friday night.
“Tonight, we also need to give the condolences to yet another set of individuals due to the Philadelphia crash. Our hearts go out to all of them,” he said.
“Nobody should suffer this much tragedy no matter what time frame in between it.
“Know this, we will find out what happened in both of those accidents. We’ll make recommendations, we will attempt to never have to deal with those type of accidents again.”
Mike Bedigan2 February 2025 12:00
Flight simulator recreates final moments of Washington DC aircraft crash
Mike Bedigan2 February 2025 11:00
Conflicting information from plane’s black boxes
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have determined the CRJ700 airplane was at 325 feet (91 meters), plus or minus 25 feet, at the time of impact, officials said at a Saturday evening news briefing.
The information was based on data recovered from the jet’s flight data recorder – the “black box” that tracks the aircraft’s movements, speed and other parameters.
The new detail suggests the Army helicopter was flying above 200 feet (61 meters), the maximum altitude for the route it was using.
Preliminary data indicates the control tower’s radar showed the helicopter at 200 feet at the time of the accident, though officials said the information has not been confirmed.
“That’s what our job is, to figure that out,” NTSB board member Todd Inman told reporters when asked what could explain the discrepancy.
Holly Evans2 February 2025 10:06
Investigators hopeful of answers after Army helicopter’s ‘black box’ found following deadly DC collision
The so-called “black box” from the Black Hawk helicopter, which collided with a passenger jet in Washington, D.C., has now been recovered, according to the National Transport Safety Board.
Both boxes from the American Airlines aircraft were previously found, and all three devices will now be taken for analysis, NTSB member Todd Inman said Friday, adding that the agency had a “high level of confidence” that information could be extracted from them.
Mike Bedigan2 February 2025 10:00
King Charles pays tribute to victims of Washington DC crash
The King has said he is “profoundly shocked and saddened” after an army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial plane in Washington DC, killing 67 people.
“Our hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims,” Charles said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Saturday.
“I would also like to pay a particular tribute to the emergency responders who acted so quickly to this horrendous event.”
Holly Evans2 February 2025 09:23
