Officials emphasize that in the United States, empty journey is not as safe as ever, but Wednesday accidents have caused concerns, especially in areas with a lot of traffic like the capital of the country. Reagan National Airport offers unique issues -restrictions on places where commercial flights are allowed to fly, and when military aircraft and ground light are crowded, it is a pilot of a former airline and airlines. Sean Purknicky, assistant professor at the Research Center, said. Ohio State University.
“Reagan is very saturated with lights. It’s very easy to lose sight of an airplane in the flood of light,” he said.
Aviation experts said that aircraft could be at each other’s blind spot. Airplanes and helicopters are in the same way as cars. The fact that the two aircraft was very close to the ground would mean that they had limited time to control the blind spot.
“The helicopter pilot cannot always be forward or backward, because you may be misplaced,” said Purqunicky. “So, because they were trying to find this jet, they might have had a visual interruption for them, and they spent time.”
According to a report by the Army Battle Preparatory Center this month, in FY2024, the number of serious accidents, including the death of the Army in 10 years, was the largest. Of the 15 incidents, only one was related to Blackhawk. The report stated that the pilot could not have enough flight time.
Jimmie Cummings, a spokesman at the center, said it was difficult to explain spikes. But he refused to comment on the flight time problem. “We are not really doing different things. We do as much as possible to promote safety, but at the end of the day is dangerous.” Cumming said.
Officials said that the American Eagle Jet, which had carried 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, had a regular approach to Reagan. Chopper, a black hawk of the army with three crew members from Fort Berboa, Virginia, was conducting a training flight, a common practice in a busy space on Reagan.
“This was not unusual for aircraft on a flying military aircraft and DCA aircraft on the river,” Duffy said to the airport. “If you live in this area, you will often see it when these two aircraft work together.”
Colonel with the retired Air Force and onboard doctor Dean Winslow said Black Hawks, “I can’t control it incredibly,” and said it was difficult to avoid passenger aircraft. “It would have been very difficult to see and avoid,” said Winslow.
In the Army pilot on a helicopter, there was a night vision goggles, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegousz said in X. Winslow said that goggles at night could help see terrain and obstacles, but could also limit their pilots.
Wireless transportation recording shows that one of the last communications is a controller that asks a helicopter pilot to see an airplane and instruct the chopper to pass behind.
A few seconds later, the helicopter hit the plane, illuminating the sky and hitting the fireball.
Jason Ablezese and Jay Blackman have contributed.
