Plane crash DCA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t keep up with this thread. Do we know the name of the third member on helicopter? Why is it taking so long to identify him/her?

The Army announced that it is not disclosing her name at this time at the request of her family. It’s believed she was the one at the controls of the helicopter so I can understand why the family would request this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With all of the local workers on here from Langley and Ft. Belvoir, I am surprised no one knows her name. The rumor mill has got to be blazing.

Her name is out there, but I won't share it. I think this is the wrong way to play this, personally. Hiding it implies Trump was right.

No, it doesn’t imply that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm hoping someone who is knowledgable about aviation can answer this, but why did the helicopter pilot ask for visual clearance? In the audio you can hear the pilot asking for permission for visual clearance which was approved by the ATC, but why? What would it be beneficial to the pilot?

It’s standard. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. ATC just must approve.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ATC/s/f55jNolBC4

I also have a question for someone knowledgeable about aviation. A PP said that the pilot wouldn’t know if they were flying 150 ft above maximum elevation. If I’m flying in a relatively flat area with a maximum elevation is there no way to receive some kind of warning signal if the elevation is passed?

What was the context to this statement? I find it hard to believe that a crew flying anything would be flying without an altimeter. From news reports, that is exactly what the NTSB will be looking at. Why was the BH flying 150 to 200ft above where they should have been?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With all of the local workers on here from Langley and Ft. Belvoir, I am surprised no one knows her name. The rumor mill has got to be blazing.

Her name is out there, but I won't share it. I think this is the wrong way to play this, personally. Hiding it implies Trump was right.

No, it doesn’t imply that.

Maybe not to you. But to many people assumptions (right or wrong) will be made. I think it is unfortunate timing if indeed the female crew member is a minority. It just adds to the narrative. That they released the names and photos of the 2 male crew members feels as if someone is trying to say: See, 2 white males, so no DEI issues. But then to withhold the 3 is odd, and, again, leads to assumptions. There's probably no win here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to know who the VIP was? If Trump is canceling private security for former government employees with credible threats against them, why are we risking civilian lives to ferry some blowhards across the river because they don’t want to sit in traffic. Given how defensive Trump was at his press conference I’m guessing that it was for a nonessential employee, friend or family member.

I think it's anyone who wants them. Trump administration uses them like Ubers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With all of the local workers on here from Langley and Ft. Belvoir, I am surprised no one knows her name. The rumor mill has got to be blazing.

Her name is out there, but I won't share it. I think this is the wrong way to play this, personally. Hiding it implies Trump was right.

No, it doesn’t imply that.

Maybe not to you. But to many people assumptions (right or wrong) will be made. I think it is unfortunate timing if indeed the female crew member is a minority. It just adds to the narrative. That they released the names and photos of the 2 male crew members feels as if someone is trying to say: See, 2 white males, so no DEI issues. But then to withhold the 3 is odd, and, again, leads to assumptions. There's probably no win here.

Bigots are going to bigot regardless of when they release the same.

It’s not that odd - they are still recovering bodies FFS.

Chill TF out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With all of the local workers on here from Langley and Ft. Belvoir, I am surprised no one knows her name. The rumor mill has got to be blazing.

Her name is out there, but I won't share it. I think this is the wrong way to play this, personally. Hiding it implies Trump was right.

No, it doesn’t imply that.

Maybe not to you. But to many people assumptions (right or wrong) will be made. I think it is unfortunate timing if indeed the female crew member is a minority. It just adds to the narrative. That they released the names and photos of the 2 male crew members feels as if someone is trying to say: See, 2 white males, so no DEI issues. But then to withhold the 3 is odd, and, again, leads to assumptions. There's probably no win here.

Bigots are going to bigot regardless of when they release the same.

It’s not that odd - they are still recovering bodies FFS.

Chill TF out.

You need to chill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to know who the VIP was? If Trump is canceling private security for former government employees with credible threats against them, why are we risking civilian lives to ferry some blowhards across the river because they don’t want to sit in traffic. Given how defensive Trump was at his press conference I’m guessing that it was for a nonessential employee, friend or family member.

I really want to know this too. Also, was it someone coming in or someone going out. Feel like people are concentrating on the PILOT name when this info is the real potential scandal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm hoping someone who is knowledgable about aviation can answer this, but why did the helicopter pilot ask for visual clearance? In the audio you can hear the pilot asking for permission for visual clearance which was approved by the ATC, but why? What would it be beneficial to the pilot?

It’s standard. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. ATC just must approve.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ATC/s/f55jNolBC4

I understand that it's standard but I still don't get why the pilot wanted it in the first place.

It gives him the control rather than ATC giving him commands. The helo is assuming responsibility. And its visual separation, not clearance.

Please note that they would never give visual to a civilian aircraft or even allow them to cross the airport. Only the military get that privilege and apparently they abuse it. Should never have happened

[Anonymous]

Are we sure there was a VIP? Wasn’t it just a training mission?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t keep up with this thread. Do we know the name of the third member on helicopter? Why is it taking so long to identify him/her?

The Army announced that it is not disclosing her name at this time at the request of her family. It’s believed she was the one at the controls of the helicopter so I can understand why the family would request this.

By we, do you mean posters here? Some insiders may know. But obviously name of is known and has been since the beginning as your orange president said it was a dei and went on to blame former presidents while the family, communities and nation were mourning. Everyone should be asking whether this was an ordered "operation."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are we sure there was a VIP? Wasn’t it just a training mission?

Yes, that's what I've read. Hegseth said it was (see quote below). Not sure how or why the VIP rumor started. But it just goes to show how quickly rumors start and spread online.

The Army helicopter that collided with an American Airlines passenger plane near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, likely killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft, was the result of an "elevation issue" during a "routine" training flight carrying night-vision goggles, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday.

The mission was a "routine annual retraining – night flights on a standard [flight] corridor for a continuity of government mission," Hegseth said in remarks shared on X.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/30/army-helicopter-reagan-plane-crash-training/78051341007/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they've finally announced that a black box has been recovered from the helicopter. Previously they'd only mentioned the two black boxes from the AA plane.

I'm relieved to hear both that one exists from the helicopter and that the military is acknowledging its existence, which increases the odds that we will actually learn what is on it.

Why do YOU need to learn what was on it? So you can commence with your armchair sleuthing? What do you bring to the table? What are your qualifications?

WE get to know what’s on it because WE fly out of that damn airport all the time and WE live below it’s flight path so WE get to demand transparency and accurate information so we can trust that this won’t happen again.

Not to mention the military works for the people. Their training, their equipment, is all tax funded

Please say this to the next cop who pulls you over, then record and post it, so we can all laugh and laugh.

“bUt…bUt mAh tAXeS.”

[Anonymous]

https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/army-women-better-helo-pilots-than-men/

Stats showed in this report that women pilots have fewer accidents than men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they've finally announced that a black box has been recovered from the helicopter. Previously they'd only mentioned the two black boxes from the AA plane.

I'm relieved to hear both that one exists from the helicopter and that the military is acknowledging its existence, which increases the odds that we will actually learn what is on it.

Why do YOU need to learn what was on it? So you can commence with your armchair sleuthing? What do you bring to the table? What are your qualifications?

WE get to know what’s on it because WE fly out of that damn airport all the time and WE live below it’s flight path so WE get to demand transparency and accurate information so we can trust that this won’t happen again.

No, you aren’t entitled to anything. Chill TF out.

DP but the public is entitled to know what happened in this incident. It's a public safety issue.

I don't support "armchair sleuthing" but all anyone asked for here is that the information be released to the public. That's a reasonable expectation and it's weird to yell at people for simply wanting the info to come out eventually.

We will know. NTSB will release a preliminary report in 30 days and a final report in a year or so. SOP. You will just have to wait. Stay mad.

+1. Keep stewing.