A federal investigation into the January 29 midair collision over Washington, D.C., has found that a Black Hawk helicopter pilot failed to make a critical course correction just moments before the fatal crash.
Capt. Rebecca Lobach, who was undergoing her annual flight evaluation, was advised by her instructor, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, to alter course approximately 15 seconds before the collision. Lobach did not execute the maneuver, leading to a deadly impact with American Airlines Flight 5342 that killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
The investigation also revealed that the Black Hawk was operating above its authorized altitude and that its tracking system had been disabled during a training simulation. Visibility may have been further compromised by the use of night vision goggles, and communication issues, including overlapping radio transmissions, possibly contributed to the disaster by preventing critical air traffic control instructions from being received.
The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the incident, with a final report expected in early 2026. The tragedy has sparked renewed calls for changes to flight training protocols and improvements in communication systems to prevent future accidents.