Reagan airport crash 1/29/25

[Richard22]

Tower: "PAT25 traffic just south of (unclear) bridge is a CRJ at 1,200ft turning for Runway 33"

PAT25: PAT25 has the Traffic in sight, request visual separation

Tower: Visual separation approved.

The runway switch was relayed to the UH-60, as well as instructions to pass behind the RJ.

Yes, it appears the helicopter flying south flew directly into the path of the northbound plane on final approach, even after the ATC told him to pass behind it. Needless to say, some major questions to answer with this one.

It was reported the helicopter pilot may have thought the traffic being reported by ATC was another plane that was taking off to the north. If so, it could have taken the helicopter pilot's attention off the plane further to the south on landing approach.

 

[ismith]

Wonder when the conspiracy theories will begin.

About .01 minutes after it happened. Also the blame game. This country has some serious mental issues.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Yes, it appears the helicopter flying south flew directly into the path of the northbound plane on final approach, even after the ATC told him to pass behind it. Needless to say, some major questions to answer with this one.

It was reported the helicopter pilot may have thought the traffic being reported by ATC was another plane that was taking off to the north. If so, it could have taken the helicopter pilot's attention off the plane further to the south on landing approach.

The blind spot for the helicopter is behind and above. A descending, faster moving aircraft from behind and above coming into contact with the UH-60 main rotor system would be catastrophic. Merely conjecture on my part. (However, as a former Army helicopter pilot with beaucoup hours and constant worry of behind and above.)

 

[Richard22]

The blind spot for the helicopter is behind and above. A descending, faster moving aircraft from behind and above coming into contact with the UH-60 main rotor system would be catastrophic. Merely conjecture on my part. (However, as a former Army helicopter pilot with beaucoup hours and constant worry of behind and above.)

If I understand the reported flight paths correctly, the two aircraft were approaching one another from opposite directions.

 

[Straight Arrow]

If I understand the reported flight paths correctly, the two aircraft were approaching one another from opposite directions.

My misunderstanding. I assumed that both were cleared for same runway until helicopter told to divert. Usually the aircraft will both want to land with wind at head; maybe not the case here. ??

 

[406dn]

My speculation, the helicopter wasn't landing at Reagan Airport, just passing thru a corridor close to the airport. They were on a training flight.

 

[Richard22]

My speculation, the helicopter wasn't landing at Reagan Airport, just passing thru a corridor close to the airport. They were on a training flight.

Yes, the helicopter was on a routine training flight heading roughly south along the river while the plane was on it's final approach heading roughly north.

 

[ismith]

The blind spot for the helicopter is behind and above. A descending, faster moving aircraft from behind and above coming into contact with the UH-60 main rotor system would be catastrophic. Merely conjecture on my part. (However, as a former Army helicopter pilot with beaucoup hours and constant worry of behind and above.)

That’s busy airspace on a slow day.

My misunderstanding. I assumed that both were cleared for same runway until helicopter told to divert. Usually the aircraft will both want to land with wind at head; maybe not the case here. ??

The approach for the runway was reversed due to weather. Helicopters are usually given clearance to maintain their own visual separation, but it sounds like the army crew thought the aircraft taking off was the one tower was talking about. Very very sad deal and the rate it became political is mind boggling.

 

[FairWeather]

How the Plane and Helicopter Crash in Washington, D.C., Happened: Maps and Graphics

An American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter plunged into the Potomac River after a midair collision Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C.

www.nytimes.com

28 bodies recovered so far, no survivors expected. Horrible. To be so close to landing just to plunge into the freezing water. I can only imagine the pure terror those people felt.

 

[Treeshark]

That presser was an absolute disaster. That might leave a mark.

 

[Flatrock]

I just cannot believe that that's an approved route for that helicopter to be on. A route going right across the approach path to a runway at the same altitude an inbound aircraft would be at is mind boggling. I flew on the civilian side and we'd occasionally get traffic alerts from ATC about helicopter traffic but not once were they ever close to our approach path.

@Straight Arrow did you ever get filed for similar routes like the helicopter yesterday?

 

[brymoore]

I just cannot believe that that's an approved route for that helicopter to be on. A route going right across the approach path to a runway at the same altitude an inbound aircraft would be at is mind boggling. I flew on the civilian side and we'd occasionally get traffic alerts from ATC about helicopter traffic but not once were they ever close to our approach path.

@Straight Arrow did you ever get filed for similar routes like the helicopter yesterday?

My Army son said one of the training missions of his Blackhawk battalion is to learn to deal with the airline traffic from Reagan. It looks like the crash helicopter was doing the exact same training.

 

[Gulf of America]

Not a Trump fan of hater but he sure is throwing out a lot of underhanded insults and is all over the place about the cause. He just needs to stop talking.

A lot of folks are going to start remembering why his approval rating was so bad by the end of his first term. The bluster during the campaign was a lot easier to dismiss than that same bluster coming from the head of state.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Some people on here generally want to have a conversation without some of you turning it into a pissing contest.

I’ll delete where it started and reopen.
If you can’t have an educated, civil, and calm conversation then you may want to stay away from these threads.

 

[ismith]

My Army son said one of the training missions of his Blackhawk battalion is to learn to deal with the airline traffic from Reagan. It looks like the crash helicopter was doing the exact same training.

I can't imagine they would be getting their NVG time in that airspace, that would be insane.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I just cannot believe that that's an approved route for that helicopter to be on. A route going right across the approach path to a runway at the same altitude an inbound aircraft would be at is mind boggling. I flew on the civilian side and we'd occasionally get traffic alerts from ATC about helicopter traffic but not once were they ever close to our approach path.

@Straight Arrow did you ever get filed for similar routes like the helicopter yesterday?

Nope, but I flew mostly in Vietnam and Montana. However, at Boise, Salt Lake, Las Vegas, and at a few USAF bases the route to a helipad or tarmac landing was across a major runway. But never do I recall any other aircraft anywhere close ... and, boy, we Montana boys stayed alert when near the big cities!

 

[Flatrock]

My Army son said one of the training missions of his Blackhawk battalion is to learn to deal with the airline traffic from Reagan. It looks like the crash helicopter was doing the exact same training.

Huh. That's interesting. Still crazy to me that that's an approved route. There's probably more to it though. I assume more info about that will come out in the months ahead. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Flatrock]

Nope, but I flew mostly in Vietnam and Montana. However, at Boise, Salt Lake, Las Vegas, and at a few USAF bases the route to a helipad or tarmac landing was across a major runway. But never do I recall any other aircraft anywhere close ... and, boy, we Montana boys stayed alert when near the big cities!

Haha. Well thank you for your service.

 

[ismith]

Nope, but I flew mostly in Vietnam and Montana. However, at Boise, Salt Lake, Las Vegas, and at a few USAF bases the route to a helipad or tarmac landing was across a major runway. But never do I recall any other aircraft anywhere close ... and, boy, we Montana boys stayed alert when near the big cities!

We had a near miss here in Helena years ago. Around 2011 if I remember correctly, CH-47 and a Cessna 172.

 

[Straight Arrow]

We had a near miss here in Helena years ago. Around 2011 if I remember correctly, CH-47 and a Cessna 172.

Likely a Montana Army Guard Chinook. I flew out of Helena for almost a couple decades with Montana Guard and recall some of the other "weekend warriors" who were civilians being a bit off the usual flight paths.