Investigators have found discrepancies in altitude data from the 29th January midair collision near Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC. The crash involved an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, killing all 67 people on board.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the jet’s flight recorder showed it was flying at around 325 feet (99 metres), with a 25-foot margin of error. However, radar data from air traffic control placed the helicopter at 200 feet—the maximum altitude allowed for its flight corridor.
The 100-foot difference in readings has become a key focus of the investigation. Officials are working to resolve the inconsistency and retrieve data from the helicopter’s black box.
“Our job is to figure that out,” said NTSB board member Todd Inman at a press briefing.
Investigators are also assessing whether the helicopter strayed from its flight path and if any operational errors played a role.
Army identifies third soldier killed in crash
The US Army has named Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from North Carolina, as the third victim in the crash.
Lobach, an aviation officer with the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had served since July 2019. Her awards included the Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.
The Army had previously identified two other victims: Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, from Lilburn, Georgia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, from Great Mills, Maryland.
