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Plane crash At Reagan National

Or did the hawk hit the CRJ. Let’s let this play out overnight and focus on finding survivors.

Someone fucked up for sure.

This video sure looks like the help hit it


I'm assuming the jet is the one approaching from the left?

Nvm, it's the hawk on the left..
 
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They had a statement from the Russian govt. on Newsmax this morning. I didn't detect any "blame game" stuff going on. In fact, the official said something to the effect of, "There is no need for direct diplomatic contact at this point."

I just hope the new Trump admin. handles this right with all necessary transparency. I don't want to yell, "Conspiracy Theory" just yet. But, from what I can tell, the American flight was on the correct approach into DCA under VFR, and it was the Blackhawk that hit the CRJ. One would think the blackhawk pilots were trained well enough to avoid it. And I believe I'd heard that the tower tried to get the Blackhawk to confirm that it had the CRJ "in sight." Yet, the collision happened anyway. Why?

This is the reason why athletic teams never (or should never) travel altogether on the same plane./train/bus, etc..
It’s much harder than people think to maintain your separation at night. The uh60 crew could have mistakenly identified a different plane or a star (there was an air Canada crew that misidentified Venus as an incoming traffic and pulled up and severely injured a few passengers)
 
It’s much harder than people think to maintain your separation at night. The uh60 crew could have mistakenly identified a different plane or a star (there was an air Canada crew that misidentified Venus as an incoming traffic and pulled up and severely injured a few passengers)
Having two seperate bases routinely crossing each other's flight paths sounds like a disaster waiting to happen and it happened.

RIP for all onboard.
 
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It’s much harder than people think to maintain your separation at night. The uh60 crew could have mistakenly identified a different plane or a star (there was an air Canada crew that misidentified Venus as an incoming traffic and pulled up and severely injured a few passengers)

My understanding is (as well) the blackhawk pilots had night vision goggles. Not sure whether or not that makes a difference, but I'd hope they be able to see something and get out of the way.
 
What is a checking event ?
2 experienced crews operating a normal sector with a check airman monitoring the ride. It's usually done yearly. They call it a training event because it's part of the training curriculum and there is a debriefing afterward. If you fail you'll require extra training and another checkride.

As for the night vision part, at 300' around DC there's so much light blooming I'm not sure they'd help much.
 
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Always been leery of DCA myself after that plane went down in the river. That said, cleanest bathrooms of any airport I've experienced.

It's not that bad, as long as any approaching aircraft doesn't stray into the "prohibited zones" when making an approach. And vacates the area promptly upon departure. I've flown through there many times. I even recall when it was just "Washington National Airport" before the Regan moniker, and had only the original terminal building. I recall flying into it on an aircraft which had Congressman John Anderson and Sen,. Dick Durbin in First Class. John even talked with me a little while we were waiting for baggage.
 
It’s much harder than people think to maintain your separation at night. The uh60 crew could have mistakenly identified a different plane or a star (there was an air Canada crew that misidentified Venus as an incoming traffic and pulled up and severely injured a few passengers)
Oh fucking bullshit, you're higher than a kite.
 
I'm just guessing that the helicopter pilot reported a visual on the departing aircraft. Once the pilot states that they have visual, it is up to ATC to verify the situation if needed.
 
Also. Why in F are the black hawks training near a commercial airport. Their in a f ing Helicoptor. Spend 20 40 minutes whatver to get into less crowded airspace
I’m sure there’s no pressure from the “VIPs” this squadron is tasked with chauffeuring around DC. /s

This procedure (requesting/approving visual sep of aircraft, on conflicting routes, at night, in an area full of lights) exists, despite smart people knowing it’s dangerous, for some reason.
 
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Always been leery of DCA myself after that plane went down in the river. That said, cleanest bathrooms of any airport I've experienced.
You talking about air Florida from the 80’s? Really? Do you know the circumstances of that flight?

DCA is busy airspace. But they do a great job. Listen aviation is a dangerous business. We are fortunate to live in the US where aviation is the safest in the world. Yea we need to modernize but that’s not really at play here.

Flying is still safer than driving to the airport.
 
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Makes me wonder if PAT mistakingly had the American in sight on RWY01 vs the Bluestreak. Lot of speculation. People so quick to point fingers and blame. Like anything in aviation, I’m sure it’s a Swiss cheese of events leading to this horrible tragedy.
 
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What is a checking event ?
We call them line checks in the airlines. You’ll have a check airman show up at the gate and ride on the Jumpseat to monitor the 2 crew members. They are checking that the pilots are following checklist, SOPs, and their decision making skills. The check airman gives a score of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If line check is unsat, the crew will be grounded at destination and then must go back to training in the simulator.
 
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Gotta love the media, though. Of all the people they could interview in re: this tragedy and how the Figure skating community may be affected, they had to interview her??????




WHY?....WHY?....WHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYY? :ROFLMAO:


IMG_6844.jpeg
 
You talking about air Florida from the 80’s? Really? Do you know the circumstances of that flight?

DCA is busy airspace. But they do a great job. Listen aviation is a dangerous business. We are fortunate to live in the US where aviation is the safest in the world. Yea we need to modernize but that’s not really at play here.

Flying is still safer than driving to the airport.
Yes, I know it was totally different scenario.
 


Makes me wonder if PAT indeed had the American in sight on RWY01 vs the Bluestreak. Lot of speculation. People so quick to point fingers and blame. Like anything in aviation, I’m sure it’s a Swiss cheese of events leading to this horrible tragedy.

H
We call them line checks in the airlines. You’ll have a check airman show up at the gate and ride on the Jumpseat to monitor the 2 crew members. They are checking that the pilots are following checklist, SOPs, and their decision making skills. The check airman gives a score of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If line check is unsat, the crew will be grounded at destination and then must go back to training in the simulator.
just had mine on Friday
 

I’m not trying to start any conspiracy theory’s, would it be possible to hack into a black hawk and fly it into a target? Remember the rumors about the freight ship that knocked down the bridge in Baltimore. There were rumors it got hacked and driven into the bridge. IDK, I know I feel awful for the victims and those left behind.
 
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I’m not trying to start any conspiracy theory’s, would it be possible to hack into a black hawk and fly it into a target? Remember the rumors about the freight ship that knocked down the bridge in Baltimore. There were rumors it got hacked and driven into the bridge. IDK, I know I feel awful for the victims and those left behind.
No
 
Random thoughts worth what everybody paid for them:

DCA controllers are some of the very best in the country. Trump's rant about FAA DEI makes absolutely zero sense in context of this accident.

"Back in my day" flying the Deuce in/out of DCA, I don't recall overflying the east bank during the circle to 33...evidently now people go a bit east for a longer final. Not sure that was a factor.

Having gotten an RA coming down the RV19 due to a Coast Guard MH65 round about Naval Observatory, my question is why the FUCK the Blackhawk was meandering across the Potomac ("maintain visual separation" or not) through the RW1 finals. Fly downriver over the east bank below 200' AGL on Route 4 until you hit the Wilson bridge *then* go west along Route 3....that would have saved 67 lives yesterday.

A fricking tragedy anytime anywhere, but especially in 2025 in Washington DC.
 
I question everything anymore, regardless if it looks like a fuck up or not. I don’t think thats unreasonable in today’s day and age. Just my 2 cents
No, it gets to the point it looks like you’re stupid lol

There’s on average 45,000 flights daily, and pilots talking about how dangerous this airport is. Eventually there’s going to be an issue.
 
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I have to wonder WHERE you're hearing about it, that's probably the issue.
This thread is the only place I've heard about it.
Although I hate it, work filters will only allow me to access news sites. Unfortunately it allows MSN, which is what I have on my workcomputer. But on my way into work early am, that's all the radio had on. Local news early this morning, that's what they kept talking about.
It's like when a hurricane or something else happens, the talking heads keep yakking away until burn out.
 
Apparently the pilot of the chopper was a woman....

Not 100 percent sure based on source. But it's someone I trust.

Not saying she isn't one of the top one percent of all pilots who should be part of the 'VIP Fleet." But it'll be interesting to know more as it unfolds.

In Trump's press conference, he said "he has all the details" and is calling it DEI. Probably a big risk to make that call... unless he knows a lot more than we do. Betting he does.

Sirhr
 
I'm sure DEI played a part in this somewhere.

Elon has publicly warned that DEI, specifically of the air traffic controllers but to a lesser extent of pilots would cause fatalities.
An "evaluation" of skills to ensure you still have them (to maintain your cert.), or have acquired new skills for a new level of cert. But. apparently, they still call it a "training" event. Why, I don't know. Maybe because there's an "instructor" pilot on board as well???
Just heard the junior pilot, in seat one, what is the one responsible for the mistake. AC kept asking him if he had the other plane in visual, and he replied that he did when he was referring to the plane behind him.