Who is to blame for the Washington plane crash: the helicopter's altitude and course raise many questions

The investigation continues into the tragedy that occurred on January 29 in Washington, when a passenger jet collided in mid-air with a military helicopter. Trajectory The helicopter's flight could be a key moment in the Pentagon's investigation, writes NPR.

Photo: Songquan Deng | Dreamstime.com

Newly appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military is investigating the crash, which occurred on the evening of January 29 near Washington.

Officials say 28 bodies have been recovered so far. There were 64 people on board the American Airlines regional jet and three U.S. service members in the Black Hawk helicopter.

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In a video posted on social media on Jan. 30, Hegseth said the soldiers were part of Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, based at Fort Belvoir, and that the crew was conducting an "annual proficiency check flight."

Despite President Trump's claim that the Army helicopter pilots were responsible for the crash, Hegseth noted that the crew was "reasonably experienced" and was performing "their mandatory annual night check, and they were using night vision goggles."

However, many unclear questions remain about the Black Hawk's flight path and the nature of the training mission.

"Preliminary evidence suggests this may have been a piloting skills test or a periodic assessment conducted by an experienced instructor to test the skills of a less experienced pilot," said Brad Bowman, a defense analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former Black Hawk pilot.

“A checkout flight, unlike a regular training flight, creates a different dynamic in the cockpit. A less experienced pilot may be nervous and trying to avoid making mistakes, while the instructor is watching his reactions to various situations,” Bowman explained. “Sometimes an instructor can check the reactions of a less experienced pilot, but using such a technique in this area would be unusual and undesirable given the limited headroom.”

Defense Department officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said the Black Hawk was carrying a male pilot, a female co-pilot and a flight crew member. The instructor had 1000 hours of flight time, considered high. The co-pilot had 500 hours, an average level of training.

The Pentagon has not yet released the names of those on board, saying notification of relatives is still ongoing.

Officials also said the Black Hawk was supposed to be flying at an altitude of no more than 200 feet, but sources said it was at least 100 feet higher. All sources spoke on condition of anonymity.

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"There is a minimum flight altitude for the helicopter in this area to ensure adequate and safe distance between the helicopter and aircraft approaching or taking off from Reagan Airport," Bowman said. "If the helicopter was above that minimum altitude, that could have been a major contributor to the collision. That will be a key part of the investigation."

In a video statement on January 30, Hegseth said: "We expect the investigation to quickly determine whether the aircraft was at the correct altitude at the time of the incident."

The National Transportation Safety Board said the plane's so-called "black boxes" — the flight recorders that record cockpit conversations and flight parameters — have not yet been found. Federal investigators also believe the Black Hawk helicopter was equipped with its own recording devices that could help determine the cause of the crash.

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