Midair at DCA

[Dias]

The responsible parties are already dead.

That's so short sighted. There are a lot of people involved in an accident other than just a pilot that made a mistake. If we just said 'welp they're dead so oh well' then we will continue to have the same accidents over and over again

[Tolip]

https://abc7news-com.cdn.ampproject.org ... google.com

Dont usually post article's, hopefully that worked. Ive been really interested to see more information about the crew of the helicopter. First details ive seen are relieased here, male instructor had 1000 hours flight time, and the female pilot who was at the controls had around 500. They are stating that this was an "experienced" crew. Im from the fixed wing world, and i know its different. But 500 hours to me is extreamly low time and very new. And even 1000 hours to be being a flight instructor seems low time in my mind aswell. All flight instructors at my company have thousands of hours. The article also shows the dramatic year over year increase of serious military aviation accidents from 2021 to 2024 every year has had a huge increase in military accidents, with 2024 being the highest ever. And now this tragedy to start off 2025. Considering DEI started in 2021. Perhaps trumps not wrong in doing away with these hiring practices.

[fish4life]

https://abc7news-com.cdn.ampproject.org ... google.com

Dont usually post article's, hopefully that worked. Ive been really interested to see more information about the crew of the helicopter. First details ive seen are relieased here, male instructor had 1000 hours flight time, and the female pilot who was at the controls had around 500. They are stating that this was an "experienced" crew. Im from the fixed wing world, and i know its different. But 500 hours to me is extreamly low time and very new. And even 1000 hours to be being a flight instructor seems low time in my mind aswell. All flight instructors at my company have thousands of hours. The article also shows the dramatic year over year increase of serious military aviation accidents from 2021 to 2024 every year has had a huge increase in military accidents, with 2024 being the highest ever. And now this tragedy to start off 2025. Considering DEI started in 2021. Perhaps trumps not wrong in doing away with these hiring practices.

I think a more likely correlation is the massive hiring boom of the US airlines sucking up military talent resulting in quicker turnover and lower time pilots.

[Tolip]

https://abc7news-com.cdn.ampproject.org ... google.com

Dont usually post article's, hopefully that worked. Ive been really interested to see more information about the crew of the helicopter. First details ive seen are relieased here, male instructor had 1000 hours flight time, and the female pilot who was at the controls had around 500. They are stating that this was an "experienced" crew. Im from the fixed wing world, and i know its different. But 500 hours to me is extreamly low time and very new. And even 1000 hours to be being a flight instructor seems low time in my mind aswell. All flight instructors at my company have thousands of hours. The article also shows the dramatic year over year increase of serious military aviation accidents from 2021 to 2024 every year has had a huge increase in military accidents, with 2024 being the highest ever. And now this tragedy to start off 2025. Considering DEI started in 2021. Perhaps trumps not wrong in doing away with these hiring practices.

I think a more likely correlation is the massive hiring boom of the US airlines sucking up military talent resulting in quicker turnover and lower time pilots.

Well we know during 2021 to around mid 2023 there was definitely not a big hiring boom in the US, as the aviation sector was still in shambles from covid. And the airline's soakong up military talent is no new phenomenon. Been that way for years. What i do wonder; even thougn i know its wrong and unpopular, but i also know it will be a fearsly debated topic, which is already comming front and center in media coverage. Would this female pilot with 500 hours have been at the controls of that blackhawk helicopter if not for some DEI hiring policy that is trying to regulate the ratio of men to women pilot's in the military?

[Jean-Pierre]

Sexist and offensive post removed by Sulako. Poster can take a week off to think about how to be a better person. Next time = ban.

[goldeneagle]

Would this female pilot with 500 hours have been at the controls of that blackhawk helicopter if not for some DEI hiring policy that is trying to regulate the ratio of men to women pilot's in the military?

There were two people in the cockpit of that helicopter, but I get it, much easier to blame the trainee and overlook the trainer sitting beside her, who by the way, stated on the radio they had the other aircraft in sight.

There should be a lot of questions asked about the how/why on this incident, but, like I stated in my original comment, nobody is going to give a shit about any facts once they can find a scapegoat that fits the profile they are looking for. You folks here are a great example already.

[Tolip]

Would this female pilot with 500 hours have been at the controls of that blackhawk helicopter if not for some DEI hiring policy that is trying to regulate the ratio of men to women pilot's in the military?

There were two people in the cockpit of that helicopter, but I get it, much easier to blame the trainee and overlook the trainer sitting beside her, who by the way, stated on the radio they had the other aircraft in sight.

There should be a lot of questions asked about the how/why on this incident, but, like I stated in my original comment, nobody is going to give a shit about any facts once they can find a scapegoat that fits the profile they are looking for. You folks here are a great example already.

Yes there were two pilots, from the report i posted above she was in command and at the control's. The male instructor was there to evaluate, and clearly should have been taking a more active role in the flight, and i did state in his case aswell 1000 hrs doesnt seem like alot to me. The article also reads that the female pilot had around 500 hours of experience and was doing her annual training, meaning she was there for atleast one year. Which means when hired she would have had even less hours, maybe even straight out of flight school. I hear what your saying, but this is a clear case of pilot error which lead to the deaths of close to 70 people. So hyper analyzing the crededtials of the pilots invovled is totally fair. Especially the one that was flying the machine. DEI policies have no place in aviation. And i hear your righteous tone. But even still, i dont believe that it was the standard practice to have blackhawk helicopter pilots acting as PIC with only afew hundred hours before DEI came into effect in 2021. It sure sounds crazy to me.

[pdw]

PIC confirms traffic in sight twice .. sees number/wrong one straight ahead (maybe because metar/unusual 30033kts meant serious right crab … ie pointing Blackhawk nose well to the right of intended track where number two traffic that the controller refers is yet out-of-sight a lot more left … thus becomes a flawed instruction)?

[goingnowherefast]

Military and helicopters have always done things a bit different. They used that as justification for the lower experience. We're going to find out through this NTSB investigation if the "bit different" is part of the problem.

I trust the NTSB will ignore all the political rhetoric. I haven't seen a flight test form that gave extra points for DEI people in Canadian civil aviation. I have no reason to think the US Army would. Hiring policies do not relate to the checking policies. If it was any more than political rhetoric, it would shown up as a higher failure rate to maintain the standard. By 500hrs, a military helicopter pilot has passed several make-or-break check-rides (or whatever they call them).

Let's stop entertaining someone who will say anything to get a reaction. It makes us sound just as silly as him.

[Sulako]

Sexism has no place here. A person's sex has nothing to do with how they can fly an aircraft.

I'm watching this thread closely. Jackass posts will be met with an appropriate response.

Now let's try to keep this on topic.

[StrayPilot]

The kind of articles that are popping up on the internet boils my blood. When will they ever stop twisting words and headlines just to get clicks and views? Just recently saw one that basically says "the CRJ accepted the option to land on a shorter runway while the previous aircraft denied the option. Then they crashed into a helicopter", which subtly blamed the pilots of the CRJ without really blatantly saying it. Every single time I hate reading news articles when a crash happens. Absolutely no morals or even basic investigation before spewing shit online.

[khedrei]

DEI has no place anywhere. But you're right, certainly not aviation.

The conspiracy nuts are out in full force on the net. Some have suggested this was intentional. Very sad to do this during the aftermath of this terrible tragedy.

And trump thinking it was stupid for a reporter to ask if he was jumping to conclusions just hours after the crash to blame DEI.... After all the sensible things he's done in the last week, I'm glad to be reminded that he really is just a horrible person deep down.

Once there is some evidence that the female helicopter pilot was pushed through when she wasn't good enough, and had multiple failed rides, then we can speculate. Until then, it's insane. Especially mere hours after it happened.

Let's wait at least for a shred of evidence that DEI played a part. Or that 500 hrs is not the norm for flying that machine. I've met a few US military pilots and have always been shocked at their low TT numbers. I could be wrong, but I think it's fairly normal for these pilots to have fairly low time.

[Tolip]

One interesting thing im noticing as information is roling out. They have as of yesterday morning identified all flight crew invovled, all crj pilots and cabin crew. And in the blackhawk helicopter they have identified the instructor and the flight engineer, but not identified the third pilot. Ive checked all over, they seem to be withholding that person's identity.

[cdnavater]

One interesting thing im noticing as information is roling out. They have as of yesterday morning identified all flight crew invovled, all crj pilots and cabin crew. And in the blackhawk helicopter they have identified the instructor and the flight engineer, but not identified the third pilot. Ive checked all over, they seem to be withholding that person's identity.

Typically they withhold names until next of kin notification, could be difficulty finding next of kin(after a very brief search, name being withheld at family request)

[Tolip]

One interesting thing im noticing as information is roling out. They have as of yesterday morning identified all flight crew invovled, all crj pilots and cabin crew. And in the blackhawk helicopter they have identified the instructor and the flight engineer, but not identified the third pilot. Ive checked all over, they seem to be withholding that person's identity.

Typically they withhold names until next of kin notification, could be difficulty finding next of kin(after a very brief search, name being withheld at family request)

Multiple sources report the family is notified, but asked for her identity to not be released.

[Dias]

There will be no further discussion on this. The internet mods have decided.

Screenshot_20250131_124108_Firefox~2.jpg (334.43 KiB) Viewed 7558 times

[Tolip]

There will be no further discussion on this. The internet mods have decided. Screenshot_20250131_124108_Firefox~2.jpg

Suspicious.

[digits_]

There will be no further discussion on this. The internet mods have decided. Screenshot_20250131_124108_Firefox~2.jpg

Suspicious.

There's absolutely nothing suspicious about a family that doesn't want to be confronted by all the garbage the internet will associate with her name in the aftermath of this high profile crash.

[Tolip]

There will be no further discussion on this. The internet mods have decided. Screenshot_20250131_124108_Firefox~2.jpg

Suspicious.

There's absolutely nothing suspicious about a family that doesn't want to be confronted by all the garbage the internet will associate with her name in the aftermath of this high profile crash.

When your direftly involved in the deaths of 67 people, you dont just get to choose anonymity. Those familys that lost loves ones and the traveling public deserve all the details and total transparency. Especially about the person that was at the controls who caused the accident. No matter what, the information will come out eventually. This is the worst aviation accident in the US since 2001. I dont see any version of this where this persons identity stays a secret.

[cdnavater]

Suspicious.

There's absolutely nothing suspicious about a family that doesn't want to be confronted by all the garbage the internet will associate with her name in the aftermath of this high profile crash.

When your direftly involved in the deaths of 67 people, you dont just get to choose anonymity. Those familys that lost loves ones and the traveling public deserve all the details and total transparency. Especially about the person that was at the controls who caused the accident. No matter what, the information will come out eventually. This is the worst aviation accident in the US since 2001. I dont see any version of this where this persons identity stays a secret.

There is no conspiracy here, the name is being withheld due to family requests, if there is culpability determined, the name WILL be released and no doubt it will come out sooner than that but for now, this seems like a normal request on the part of the family.
Not related but I believe the Captain of the jetstream crash from last year is still not officially released!

[digits_]

Suspicious.

There's absolutely nothing suspicious about a family that doesn't want to be confronted by all the garbage the internet will associate with her name in the aftermath of this high profile crash.

When your direftly involved in the deaths of 67 people, you dont just get to choose anonymity. Those familys that lost loves ones and the traveling public deserve all the details and total transparency. Especially about the person that was at the controls who caused the accident. No matter what, the information will come out eventually. This is the worst aviation accident in the US since 2001. I dont see any version of this where this persons identity stays a secret.

Well apparently the family does get to choose, for now at least. Whether they are successful in their endeavors or not, it's definitely not suspicious. And that was the statement I replied to.

[daedalusx]

There's absolutely nothing suspicious about a family that doesn't want to be confronted by all the garbage the internet will associate with her name in the aftermath of this high profile crash.

When your direftly involved in the deaths of 67 people, you dont just get to choose anonymity. Those familys that lost loves ones and the traveling public deserve all the details and total transparency. Especially about the person that was at the controls who caused the accident. No matter what, the information will come out eventually. This is the worst aviation accident in the US since 2001. I dont see any version of this where this persons identity stays a secret.

There is no conspiracy here, the name is being withheld due to family requests, if there is culpability determined, the name WILL be released and no doubt it will come out sooner than that but for now, this seems like a normal request on the part of the family.
Not related but I believe the Captain of the jetstream crash from last year is still not officially released!

Agreed.
Think if it was your daughter ... in this current hyper divisive polarization political climate. Pretty sure most reasonable people would see this as a reasonable request. There's already been a push to blame the crash on a transgender who had a pretty good alibi (still alive).

There's already been so much misinformation and lies

"It's Biden's fault, he pushed for DEI hiring at the FAA"
"It's Elon's fault, he fired the FAA director"
"It's Trump's fault, he froze hiring of fed employees"
"It's the freemason's fault, the RJ was told to circle for RW33"

It's all so tiresome ...

[Dry Guy]

Not related but I believe the Captain of the jetstream crash from last year is still not officially released!

Wasn't that suspicious too? I saw some posts alluding to something about the crew.

[cdnavater]

Not related but I believe the Captain of the jetstream crash from last year is still not officially released!

Wasn't that suspicious too? I saw some posts alluding to something about the crew.

The part where the family requests the name be withheld is suspicious! No!
This day and age people make wild assumptions accusations and drag people through the mud without any evidence whatsoever, so no, I think asking for anonymity is not suspicious!

[Old fella]

Suspicious.

There's absolutely nothing suspicious about a family that doesn't want to be confronted by all the garbage the internet will associate with her name in the aftermath of this high profile crash.

When your direftly involved in the deaths of 67 people, you dont just get to choose anonymity. Those familys that lost loves ones and the traveling public deserve all the details and total transparency. Especially about the person that was at the controls who caused the accident. No matter what, the information will come out eventually. This is the worst aviation accident in the US since 2001. I dont see any version of this where this persons identity stays a secret.

You just confirmed the very reason why a family would request anonymity with your statement “Especially about the person that was at the controls who caused the accident.”

The probable cause and findings which contributed to this accident hasn’t been stated or published by the authorities delegated(NTSB)to investigate this crash and won’t be for awhile longer. You have an opinion but it isn’t factual as of yet.