Pilot Error Determined as Cause of Deadly Washington Air Crash
Three months after the tragic air accident in the United States that claimed 67 lives, investigation results have revealed that the crash was caused by a helicopter pilot’s error.
According to The New York Times, Rebecca Lobach, the pilot of a Black Hawk military helicopter, failed to follow warnings and instructions from air traffic controllers. This negligence led to a collision with American Airlines flight #AA5342, a CRJ-700 passenger aircraft.
The incident occurred on January 29, 2024, when the helicopter failed to maintain a safe distance from the passenger jet. According to a preliminary report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Lobach did not comply with orders to descend and turn left.
The report stated, “A left turn would have increased the distance between the helicopter and the passenger aircraft, but the maneuver was not executed.” It also noted that Lobach did not respond to guidance efforts from the instructor and co-pilot aboard the helicopter.
Experts highlighted that the pilot’s lack of action during the final critical seconds was the main cause of the crash. However, the report also pointed to the partial responsibility of air traffic controllers, stating that warnings about the approaching passenger jet were made on a different frequency and that instructions were not “clear and assertive enough.”
The final report on the accident is expected to be released in early 2026.
