Washington DC midair collision: US Army refuses to identify female black hawk pilot killed in crash

The US Army has chosen not to disclose the name of the female pilot who was killed in a tragic midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday (January 29).

The US Army has opted not to reveal the name of the female pilot who tragically lost her life in a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday (January 29). The decision comes at the request of her family, while the identities of two other soldiers on board the helicopter have been released. “At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time,” the Army Public Affairs wrote on their website.

Budget 2025 LIVE Updates

Two other soldiers identified

The Army on Friday (January 31), publicly identified Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, as the other two service members who were aboard the Black Hawk helicopter when it crashed into the Potomac River. Their deaths were confirmed, though the bodies of Eaves and the female pilot remain unrecovered.

Deadliest US air crash

American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a US Army helicopter near Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night, sending both aircraft into the Potomac River and killing all 67 aboard. This marks the deadliest US air disaster in more than twenty years.

Victims included figure skaters, students

Among the victims were members of the Skating Club of Boston who were returning from a development camp after the 2025 US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. Notable victims included teenage figure skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their mothers, and renowned Russian-born coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were the 1994 world champions in pairs skating. Other victims included the daughter of Indian immigrants, two Chinese nationals, and others who were aboard the ill-fated flight.

Investigation into flight altitude underway

The Army has launched an investigation into whether the Black Hawk helicopter was flying at an appropriate altitude before the fatal collision. Military officials are reviewing air traffic data and operational protocols to determine the circumstances leading up to the crash.

Black Boxes recovered and under review

Investigators have retrieved the black box from the Army helicopter, as well as the cockpit voice and flight data recorders from the Bombardier jet operated by an American Airlines subsidiary. The helicopter’s black box is now at NTSB headquarters, appearing undamaged. Analysts are currently reviewing data from both aircraft to determine the exact cause of the collision.

Recovery efforts continue

Search and recovery teams have retrieved more than 40 bodies from the crash site. Authorities are continuing efforts to locate the remaining victims while assessing debris from both aircraft to aid in the ongoing investigation.