The Army announced Friday that at the request of the female pilot’s family, it is withholding the name of one of three Black Hawk helicopter crew members killed in the mid-air collision with a passenger plane over the Potomac River while the plane was on final approach Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., Wednesday night. The Army said the name “will not be released at this time”, leaving open the possibility of later public identification.
All 60 passengers and 4 crew members on the PSA/American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas were also killed in the crash. As of Friday afternoon 41 sets of remains had been recovered with 28 of those identified, ABC News reported.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said the Army helicopter crew was on a routine training mission for “continuity of government.”
A spokesman for the Unified Command Post for the crash told reporters Thursday the unnamed pilot is a female with 500 flying hours (Telegraph excerpt):
“It was a very experienced group,” said Jonathan Koziol, a retired Army chief warrant officer with more than 30 years experience in flying Army helicopters. Koziol has been attached to the Unified Command Post created at Reagan National Airport to coordinate efforts following the deadly collision.
Koziol confirmed to reporters on a conference call that the male instructor pilot had more than 1,000 hours of flight time, the female pilot who was commanding the flight at the time had more than 500 hours of flight time, and the crew chief was also said to have hundreds of hours of flight time.
NPR reported on the controversy about the pilot’s identity (excerpt):
The third crew member on the helicopter was a female pilot with 500 hours of flying experience, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation. The Army is withholding the pilot’s name at the request of her family.
The withholding of a name in the instances (sic) is a highly unusual move. The identity of the third crew member has already drawn intense scrutiny online.
Misinformation on social media falsely claims she was a transgender pilot from the Virginia National Guard named Jo Ellis. Ellis has posted a “proof of life” video on Facebook, denouncing the rumors and offering condolences to those killed in the crash.
An Army press release issued Friday identified two of the three crew members, noting that only one body has been recovered.
The press release was accompanied by photos of the two crew members who were identified:
The Department of Army identifies two of three Army Soldiers involved in Helicopter Crash
WASHINGTON — A United States Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed at approximately 9 p.m. while performing a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Jan. 29. There was a three-person crew on board the helicopter. The UH-60 helicopter from the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., collided in midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet Flight 5342 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The FAA, NTSB and the United States Army are investigating. The NTSB will lead the investigation. We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available.
Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, is believed to be deceased pending positive identification.
The remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, have not yet been recovered, therefore is duty status-whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN).
At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time. That pilot is also DUSTWUN.
“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time. Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” said Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force – National Capital Region/ U.S. Army Military District of Washington.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eaves, served in the U.S. Navy from August 2007 to September 2017, then transitioned to a UH-60 pilot for the regular Army from September 2017 to present day. His awards include Army Commendation Medal x3, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal x3, Navy “E” Ribbon x2, Navy Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon and Army Aviator Badge.
Staff Sgt. O’Hara served as a UH-60 helicopter repairer (15T) in the regular Army from July 2014 to present day. He successfully deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017. His awards include Army Commendation Medal w/C Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal x4, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Aviation Badge and Senior Aviation Badge.
Friday afternoon, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced new flight restrictions for helicopters near Reagan Airport:
NEW: With the support of @POTUS and in consultation with the @SecDef, effective today, the @FAANews will restrict helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport airport.
Today’s decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring the safety of airplane and helicopter traffic. This is part of the @USDOT’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding our nation’s skies and upholding the highest standards of air travel safety. We will continue to support @POTUS’ directive to achieve uncompromised aviation safety. The American people deserve full confidence in our aviation system and today’s action is a significant step towards restoring that trust.
The restricted area includes:
– Memorial Bridge to South Capitol Street Bridge, excluding the Tidal Basin
– Haines Point to Wilson Bridge
– Over the top of DCA
NEW: With the support of @POTUS and in consultation with the @SecDef, effective today, the @FAANews will restrict helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport airport.
Today’s decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring… pic.twitter.com/Oo6B9H8z8S
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) January 31, 2025
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