Report: Pilot of Black Hawk in Fatal Collision Failed to Heed Instructions

Army helicopter pilot involved in a deadly January crash may not have changed course as directed.

Jack Daleo

Monday, April 28, 2025 at 04:22 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Pilot error may be among the factors that caused a collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and commercial passenger jet in January, per a New York Times report. [Courtesy: Nicholas Priest/U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

Pilot error, specifically the Black Hawk pilot's failure to heed an instructor's directive to turn left and confusion in the cockpit, played a significant role in the fatal collision.
Air traffic control procedures, including the use of visual separation without sufficient advisories and abnormal staffing conditions, were also cited as contributing factors.
Systemic issues such as the design of congested airspace, the Black Hawk operating above its permitted altitude, and its ADS-B Out being turned off, highlighted pre-existing safety concerns.
The incident has prompted the FAA to implement immediate safety measures, including altering helicopter routes, restricting nonessential helicopter operations at KDCA, limiting visual separation, and requiring ADS-B Out for aircraft in the airspace.

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Pilot error may have played a role in the January collision between a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and Bombardier CRJ-700 jet operating American Eagle Flight 5342, which killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft.

According to a New York Times report, Captain Rebecca Lobach—who was piloting the Black Hawk for an annual evaluation flight in the airspace near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA)—failed to heed a directive from her instructor. It is unclear why Lobach did not turn left as instructed, which would have increased separation between the two aircraft.