Was the DC Black Hawk collision a ‘disaster waiting to happen’? Investigators reveal shocking details
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On the night of January 29, the Black Hawk, on a routine training mission, collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 as the plane was making its final descent into Reagan National Airport. The crash claimed the lives of all 67 people on board both aircraft and is now being described by experts as a «disaster waiting to happen.»
Were Night-Vision Goggles to Blame?
Investigators believe the Black Hawk’s crew, including 28-year-old pilot Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, was likely wearing night-vision goggles at the time of impact. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that if the crew had been flying without them, they would have been required to state so in their communication—something that was not recorded on the cockpit voice recorder.
The use of night-vision goggles, while standard for military operations, reduces peripheral vision and has been flagged as a potential factor in the pilots failing to spot the approaching passenger jet.
Data from the wreckage confirmed that the Black Hawk was flying at 300 feet—100 feet above the permitted altitude for helicopters in Reagan National's airspace. The plane, descending for landing, was at 325 feet at the time of impact.
Radar data suggests that in the split-second before the crash, the jet’s pilots attempted to pull up in an effort to avoid the helicopter. NTSB officials noted a slight increase in the plane’s pitch just before the black box recorded the final sounds of impact.
Military Tracking System Was Turned
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