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Pilot Error Suspected in Fatal Black Hawk, Airliner Collision Over Washington, D.C.
A new report indicates pilot error may have played a crucial role in the devastating mid-air collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29th. The crash claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft, including three Army personnel and a group of young figure skaters.
The investigation suggests that Captain Rebecca Lobach, the pilot of the Black Hawk, failed to heed a crucial instruction from air traffic control to alter course, a maneuver that would have increased the distance between the helicopter and the approaching airliner. Just 15 seconds later, the two aircraft collided above the Potomac River.
According to the report, controllers had warned the Black Hawk crew about the proximity of American Airlines Flight 5342 as it prepared to land. The helicopter crew acknowledged the warning and then requested “visual separation,” a common procedure where pilots maintain separation from other aircraft visually. Although the request was approved, Captain Lobach, who had 500 hours of flight experience, apparently failed to visually separate from the incoming jet, either by not seeing the plane or being unable to maneuver the helicopter to safety.
The report also reveals a possible second critical error. While the American Airlines flight was circling to land, Captain Lobach’s co-pilot and evaluator, Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, relayed a tower instruction to turn left.
This instruction was apparently not followed. Investigators are working to understand why this routine maneuver was not executed.
Adding to the complexity of the investigation are reports of a possible microphone glitch within the Black Hawk’s cockpit. It is suspected that both pilots may have inadvertently activated their microphone push-to-talk buttons simultaneously, potentially silencing incoming transmissions and causing them to miss a critical instruction from the tower.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that Captain Lobach was being evaluated on her night vision goggle use at the time of the accident, and the crew was reportedly wearing the goggles throughout the flight. Finally, reports also suggest that the helicopter’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, which transmits critical flight data, was deactivated shortly before the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing its investigation to determine the exact sequence of events leading to this tragic accident.