The tragedy, which occurred over eight weeks ago and resulted in the deaths of 67 people, continues to reverberate throughout the aviation sector.
It has been reported that Captain Rebecca M. Lobach allegedly ignored directives to change course, and a series of communication failures played a significant role in the devastating incident on January 29.
The military aircraft, piloted by the 28-year-old, collided with an American Airlines flight that was cleared for landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Previously, investigators speculated that the helicopter was flying at an excessive altitude, intersecting the flight path of the airliner and resulting in the pilot’s death.
Additionally, a startling report from The New York Times indicates that Lobach failed to follow directives during her annual flight assessment in the helicopter.
Lobach was accompanied by Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, and co-pilot Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, who was acting as her flight instructor.
Transcripts of the helicopter’s communications with air traffic control have shed light on the events leading up to the incident, according to the US publication.
Air traffic controllers had informed the helicopter crew of an approaching airliner, which Lobach and Eaves reportedly acknowledged.
Subsequently, one of the military pilots requested to operate under ‘visual separation,’ meaning they would be responsible for maintaining a safe distance from other aircraft based on their own judgment while monitoring the surrounding airspace.
It is common practice for aircraft operators to rely on their observations rather than solely on air traffic control’s guidance.
Audio recordings from the helicopter later revealed the air traffic controller confirming that visual separation had been ‘authorized.’
At this time, the American Airlines flight, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was believed to be circling in preparation for landing.
Unidentified factors led to Captain Lobach’s inadequate visual separation, resulting in a collision with the American Airlines aircraft, which was transporting 60 passengers and four crew members 15 seconds later.
It is reported that she ignored her colleague Eaves’s recommendation to change her course before this critical moment. The New York Times report states: ‘The Black Hawk was 15 seconds from intersecting with the jet. Warrant Officer Eaves then focused on Captain Lobach.’
He informed her that he believed air traffic control had instructed them to turn left towards the east river bank. ‘A left turn would have created more distance between the helicopter and Flight 5342, which was approaching Runway 33 at approximately 300 feet.
She did not execute the left turn.’ The article suggests that Lobach may have failed to see the jet in close proximity or may have been unable to maneuver the helicopter to a safer position.
The report indicated that there was no evidence that Captain Rebecca Lobach was experiencing health issues at the time or that a medical incident influenced her actions during the final moments aboard the Black Hawk, according to acquaintances and individuals familiar with the crash investigation, which included autopsies and performance log assessments.
The US Army noted that Lobach had served as an aviation officer since July 2019 and had accumulated around 500 hours of experience with the Black Hawk. Throughout her service, she received several accolades, including the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.
The reasons behind her reported disregard for Eaves’ directive to turn left and her alleged failure to achieve visual separation remain unclear.
Katie Thomson, the former deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under President Joe Biden, stated, ‘That night, multiple layers of safety measures failed.’
Furthermore, it was reported that the communication between the helicopter crew and air traffic controllers occasionally experienced interruptions, which may have resulted in critical information being overlooked.
Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, the Army’s aviation director, remarked, ‘Ultimately, I believe we will discover that several factors, if altered, could have significantly influenced the outcome of that night.’
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to publish its comprehensive report detailing the causes of the crash by early next year.
