Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the video of it, it almost looks like the helicopter was heading into the plane on purpose? I'm sure that's not the case, but it just looks so blatant.

From the audio of the ATC, the plane may have been in the blind spot of the helicopter? That seems to be what they are saying, that the helicopter may not have seen the plane. I am not an aviation person and don't know much about any of this.

Shouldn’t you rely on ATC, not visual perception?

The ATC command was to fly behind the plane using visual perception. Very common on a clear day/night.

Anonymous wrote:Congress approved additional flights at DCA last year, over the protests of the locals. I hope they reduce the number now and enforce stricter regulations for all these helicopters.

Anonymous wrote:Congress approved additional flights at DCA last year, over the protests of the locals. I hope they reduce the number now and enforce stricter regulations for all these helicopters.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the video of it, it almost looks like the helicopter was heading into the plane on purpose? I'm sure that's not the case, but it just looks so blatant.

There will be an incentive for the government to lie. I see what you see.

Sorry, but air safety takes priority over a pilot trying to cover it up (the pilot is not around anymore to try to cover anything up). There will be no lying.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the video of it, it almost looks like the helicopter was heading into the plane on purpose? I'm sure that's not the case, but it just looks so blatant.

From the audio of the ATC, the plane may have been in the blind spot of the helicopter? That seems to be what they are saying, that the helicopter may not have seen the plane. I am not an aviation person and don't know much about any of this.

Shouldn’t you rely on ATC, not visual perception?

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My vote is incompetence. Not intentional.

How does an incompetent person in the military get placed in a position to operate a significant military asset like a Blackhawk helicopter in sensitive airspace like that area of the Potomac near the seat of government and the DCA approach path? They're supposed to be the best of the best. This isn't like that amateur moron who flew his Cessna into a power line and blacked out half of MoCo a few years ago. This is supposedly a skilled military pilot of a VIP helicopter! If "incompetence" is the answer, I shudder to think what the question is.

Human error? We all make mistakes. Also coils be instrument failure. We have no idea yet.

Agree with this. There are hundreds of planes and helicopters going through there every day. At some point, there’s bound to be human error. Something could have even happened to the pilot like a medical problem, or they could be extremely sleep deprived, who knows.

I’m not in DC so I’m curious - are helicopters crossing the paths of planes taking off/landing? That seems extremely dangerous. If there are a lot of helicopters, the airport shouldn’t be so close.

Helicopters should go around. Planes take priority and the airport isn’t going anywhere.

If they’re crossing paths it seems like it’s just a matter of time before some collide. Humans will always make mistakes. Sounds like a very bad setup.

All commercial aircraft have anti collision software.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are Blackhawk helicopters usually flying around a civilian airport?

Yes they transport vips from the pentagon and bases around here. Much better than clogging up the roads.[/b] [b]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scanner: Asking for 100 body bags.

I've seen that it was a full flight, some 68-73 people on board. All lost.

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I would think they’d need to rule out the possibility that someone on the helicopter commandeered it.

From the video it looks like it was done on purpose. How could they not see the lights of the plane.

I just heard an expert in CNN say helicopters tend to look down because they use the ground as their reference.

Anonymous wrote:Scanner: Asking for 100 body bags.

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Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of the night in Jan in the 80s where the plane went into the river

Yes! I was thinking the same thing. There was another tragedy around ‘74 or ‘75.

Air Florida 90. Crash happened at 4 PM but the rescue went into the night.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Florida_Flight_90

The lessons learned from that are why it takes a long time to deice planes.

Also the 14th Street bridge is named after Arland Williams, who survived the crash but kept passing the rescue lines to others ahead of him, and died.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I pray it was instantaneous for the victims.

I don't think so. This isn't a powerful bomb situation. There was a small explosion/fire at the collision site, the plane probably broke in two on impact with the water. People must have been injured and/or stunned, because it all happened in a few seconds, since the plane had lowered to land. And then the water was very cold, which prolongs the stunning. Not instantaneous... but not the worst.

Sorry to be morbid.

What’s the worst?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the video of it, it almost looks like the helicopter was heading into the plane on purpose? I'm sure that's not the case, but it just looks so blatant.

From the audio of the ATC, the plane may have been in the blind spot of the helicopter? That seems to be what they are saying, that the helicopter may not have seen the plane. I am not an aviation person and don't know much about any of this.