Black Hawk Pilot Failed To Turn Before Fatal Mid-Air Collision Killing 67

In yet another tragic example of systemic failure under today's hollowed-out military leadership, a new report reveals that the pilot of the Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in January’s devastating mid-air collision failed to turn when advised, ultimately leading to the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft.

According to a detailed New York Times investigation, Capt. Rebecca Lobach, piloting the Black Hawk over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., ignored critical advice from her co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, in the moments before impact. Eaves believed air traffic control had instructed them to turn left to avoid an American Airlines passenger jet on approach to Reagan National Airport. Lobach, for reasons investigators "might never know," did not turn.

Key details of the report highlight disturbing failures:

• Air traffic controllers attempted to direct the Black Hawk to "pass behind" the jet, but a microphone glitch may have garbled the command.

• Despite spotting the incoming aircraft, the Black Hawk crew continued flying straight, missing the chance to avert disaster.

• Cockpit voice recordings confirm that Eaves urged a left turn with just 15 seconds to spare, but no corrective action was taken.

Autopsy results and performance log reviews revealed no medical event or health issues affecting Lobach, eliminating those explanations. Instead, the crash now appears rooted in pure procedural and leadership failure a symptom of deeper rot that has infected our armed forces after years of political meddling and lowered standards.

This catastrophe follows an alarming trend:

• In 2023 alone, military aviation accidents surged by 20%, according to Defense Department data, with readiness and operational discipline deteriorating across the board.

• Pilot training hours have decreased by 17% over the past decade, leaving even elite crews underprepared for real-world crises.

• An October 2024 Inspector General report cited “poor communication protocols and confusion between military and civilian air traffic management” as growing threats to air safety.

It’s no coincidence that these breakdowns are happening at a time when our military’s focus has shifted from warfighting excellence to appeasing political correctness. The tragic loss over the Potomac is not just an accident it’s a warning about what happens when accountability, training, and leadership are sacrificed.

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