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Eerie Black Hawk “Conspiracy” About Secret Drill Before DC Plane Crash Turns Out To Be True
In a concerning revelation, what started as an internet conspiracy theory about the US Army helicopter that collided with American Airlines flight 5342 over Washington DC, has been confirmed as being true.
The tragedy, which occurred around 9 pm last Wednesday (January 29), claimed the lives of 67 people, three soldiers on board the military aircraft, as well as 60 passengers, and four crew members on the commercial plane.
Highlights
- What started as a conspiracy about a US Army helicopter crash turns out to be true.
- Defense sources confirmed to CBS that the military aircraft was practicing a Continuity of Government plan.
- The crash claimed 67 lives, including 3 military personnel rehearsing a president evacuation plan.
- Experts suggest reevaluating military practices in commercial airspaces post-accident.
Internet theorists had thrown around the idea that the helicopter had deviated from usual routes to practice for a Continuity of Government (COG) contingency plan, which was confirmed by defense sources to CBS.
The soldiers were indeed rehearsing an evacuation plan for the president when the Black Hawk collided with the passenger jet.
RELATED:
Conspiracy theory about the military helicopter involved in the American Airlines crash that took the life of 67 people was confirmed as true by defense sources
Image credits: Andrew Harnik / Getty
Authorities also released the names of two of the three military personnel aboard the helicopter. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Staff Sergeant Ryan O’Hara have been identified, while the third one, a female officer, has remained anonymous at the request of her family.
Image credits: Ahmedot2Osman
The New York Times described the Army’s decision to honor the family’s request as “extraordinary,” as it is standard procedure to release the names of personnel involved in fatal accidents 24 hours after notifying their relatives.
Image credits: 147th Aviation Regiment / Wikipedia
The unusual silence surrounding the co-pilot’s identity has only fueled speculation, specifically around her competency as officials revealed that she had around 500 flight hours of experience—an amount in line with expectations for her role.
Eaves and O’Hara, in comparison, had approximately 1,000 flight hours each.
Experts believe the accident should prompt a reevaluation of military practices on commercial airspaces
Image credits: René DeAnda / Unsplash
In a Bored Panda exclusive interview, Dr. Daniel Bubb, a former airline pilot with a PhD in political science from the University of Missouri, called the accident “unfathomable,” and predicted that it would lead to a rethinking of military training protocols.
Image credits: Andrew Harnik / Getty
“It’s common for military aircraft to conduct training operations in the same airspace as commercial aircraft and even share airports,” Dr. Bubb mentioned. “This is something that predates World War II.”
Image credits: Maria Oswalt / Unsplash
“This accident might prompt conversation about the danger of military and civilian operations happening [at the same time],” he added.
Dr. Bubb also correctly stated that the main focus of the investigation is likely to be the aircraft’s black boxes, as well as questioning air traffic control personnel.
Image credits: Lockheed Martin
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the recovery of the boxes yesterday (January 31).
Rescue efforts are underway with 41 out of the 67 bodies being successfully recovered, and 28 being positively identified so far.
“How can anyone make a judgement?” Despite the theory being true, netizens felt sharing conspiracies was in bad taste
Poll Question
Should the military update its training protocols in commercial airspaces following such accidents?
Yes, it's necessary for safety
No, current protocols are adequate
Maybe, more investigation needed
Undecided
What do you think ?
Willem Andries Oosterhof 1 month ago
And Trump is running his hamburger trap again!! Always blaming someone at the first instance without having the facts. The lunatic is now running the asylum.
Dave In MD 1 month ago
Standard MAGA reaction. They always say someone was either a DEI hire or a pedophile.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
It’s not realistic to expect to have to evacuate a president in separate air space. He will have to be evacuated going through commercial space. So the practice should also be in commercial space. What was wrong with this helicopter pilot that he couldn’t see the plane and maneuver around it? Sounds like maybe some equipment wasn’t working properly. And for sure communication sucked.
Alex Martin 1 month ago
The air controller knew they were going to be in the same airspace. He informed the Blackhawk Crew about the aircraft and put the on Visual Flight Rules (VFR). That basically transfers responsibility to the pilot of the helicopter to stay out of the way of the incoming jet aircraft. The Blackhawk crew radioed back that they had the plane in sight. What may have happened is the crew focused on the wrong aircraft and did not see the American Eagle plane. They could have also misjudged the vector of the plane as it was night and all they could likely see were the lights on approaching planes. Pilots have had issues for years with helicopters in the Reagan National Airport pattern. They need to deconflict the airspace.
Load More Replies...
rorschach-penguin 1 month ago (edited)
Precisely—it's impossible for commercial and military airspace to not share airspace, especially in an area like DC (some of the busiest and most restricted airspace in the world).
ThatG 1 month ago
Scenario… the CRJ landing on runway 33 and another plane farther away landing on runway 01. From the angle the helicopter was coming from, both planes would have been in front of them… the helicopter pilots on the training flight are on Night Vision Goggles which has a narrow field of view. When ATC asked them if they had the plane in sight…they said yes, but they were looking at the wrong plane which was far away still and not the close one because of limitations on the Night Vision goggles.
Carrie Laughs 1 month ago
It's surely less about the existence of DEI and more about the poor application and understanding of the intentions of DEI. DEI recruitment should be about seeking people more broadly, about going for the diverse hire when there is more than one applicant who is EQUALLY competent to do the job. In careers where the bar is very high it shouldn't mean 'don't hire from here' if that's going to create staff shortages. You can have well intentioned policies being applied, really, really badly. If the candidate pool is still mostly white male, that says something about how people are fed into that pool though.
BrunoVI 1 month ago
I never mentioned DEI. (But now since your post, all the fleshbots have gone crazy downvoting me.) The policies I spoke of are older than the term "DEI." I never said the candidate pool was disproportionately white. The candidate pool is, however, largely veterans, who are 82% male, but this could be subject to better recruitment policies. But understand that whatever you *WISH* DEI meant, it means as a matter of legal definition, discrimination in favor of minorities; the REAL reason corporations are abandoning DEI is that they are presuming that without the protection of the Biden Justice Department, Fair Admissions v Harvard will be applied not only to college admissions but to hiring policy, and there'd be more billion-dollar lawsuits against corporations than you can imagine.
Carrie Laughs 1 month ago
Older than the term, so what if it's had a different name, it's the same basic thing you're saying is behind it. If that isn't what you were intended to imply than write more clearly. You also said "a freeze on hiring white males" which, again, implies something. In this instance that it was disproportionately white, otherwise why? There was no 'wish' about what DEI means, I've read the policies & I've been an employer for a long time. It of course means positive discrimination but only when certain criteria is met ie, at the basic level being capable of doing the job. Of course there should be better recruitment policies! That's part of it! No idea what any of that 'fair admissions v Harvard' means as, shock, we're not all in America & it's probably a good idea to bear that in mind when writing on an international site. If you've been downvoted for what you've written, look to yourself.
Kelly Scott 1 month ago
I'm sorry they weren't evacuating the orange monkey during this crash. It still would have been a terrible tragedy, but it would have had one bright spot.
iseefractals 1 month ago
Imagine how people would react if anyone said the same thing about Kamala, or Biden, or Obama. I've hated trump for 30 years, but the number of people on the left spouting this kind of unhinged hate, isn't winning hearts and minds.
Load More Replies... 
London Paris 1 month ago
None of this matters people . .what matters is that gay and trans people exist and it's THEIR fault this tragedy happened. Remember, if the president can be an obnoxious a*****e by inserting his own conspiracy theory into this tragedy and cause further pain, so can you. Remember to fit your own personal hate rhetoric into everything, just like the president.
Roxy222uk 1 month ago
Strange that there's already been two major air crashes immediately in the wake of Donny Fart sacking every single experienced person involved in air safety, and putting in place instead one person with zero experience - although they appear to be very loyal to Fart, strangely
Carrie Laughs 1 month ago
The understaffing has been an issue a lot longer than Biden was in power.
Tim Gearing 1 month ago
I think it’s sad that 67 people lost their lives. Hopefully the NTSB will find the answers and recommend safer procedures to avoid another tragedy like this.
person (i think) 1 month ago
I read an interview with a former Blackhawk pilot. He said this route in particular can be extremely difficult to differentiate between oncoming airplane lights and city lights (angles, etc)
Kevin Hickey 1 month ago
They probably don't want to release her name because a horde of a-hole Trumplings will descend upon them if her name is "ethnic".
Ren Karlej 1 month ago
Well, some people certainly sent a lot of hate at Jo Ellis (trans woman who some fools thought was one of the pilots) - but the name has been released now. Captain Rebecca M Lobach. Who had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Lobach began her career in the United States Army as a distinguished military graduate in Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a distinguished military graduate where she was in the top 20 percent of cadets nationwide.
Load More Replies... Sophia Pandia de Delphia 1 month ago
I don't know how I feel about her name being released since she was technically the one under criticism with Trump's DEI rant. I certainly know why her family didn't want her name known because all attacks would be on her. I do feel a little better about it though with you listing all her accomplishments. All of them would have to be cut down one by one to claim she is the DEI responsible and that seems to be a gargantuan task.
ElfVibratorGlitter 1 month ago
I just flew into Reagan last night....so fortunately no secret drills or whatever 😔
Karina 1 month ago
Military planes and choppers have crashed into airplanes several times before. It may also have been another airplane he thought the air controll was guiding him about, and this is why he said he saw it and still plowed straight into it. This is also, sadly not uniqe to this situation. Sending love and prayers to anyone who needs it <3
Bradley Ross 1 month ago
Apparently, there was a shortage of air traffic controllers. On one of the news shows, they said that the number of flights at an airport are reduced when there are enough controllers for a full roster. A lot of the senators use this airport to catch flights back to their home state, and they don’t want to cancel flights. Is it possible that they didn’t cancel flights to avoid inconveniencing senators.
Phillip Moderow 1 month ago
I think that the investigation will reveal enough mistakes to go around. Was the Air Controller distracted, overworked, or incompetent ? Did the American Airlines pilot have an opportunity to take evasive action and didn't ? Was the Blackhawk crew flying at the wrong altitude ? Or "D", all of the above ?
JohninND 1 month ago
I look both ways before I cross the street. I'm sure it's a bit more complex in the air but where was the error? Relying on equipment rather than eyesight? Simply not checking existing flight traffic? I'm serious, not being a wise guy.
iseefractals 1 month ago
Yes, people can accept that it was an accident....but it's idiotic to use that as a means of avoiding examination of factors that contributed to that accident occurring....because if you dont' do that, than it's more likely for that same thing to happen again! Was it a communication issue? That can be addressed. Was it a technical issue? That needs to be addressed. Was the playbook for the training exercise flawed? That needs to be addressed. Did the pilot lack experience or skills for those specific flight circumstances? That needs to be addressed. 60 some died, that's not an "oopsie" you can chalk up to "oh well, people make mistakes"
MyNameIsNotAPortent 1 month ago
“The soldiers were indeed rehearsing an evacuation plan for the president”. There’s yer problem. Going forward, Suck It Up, Princess Trump!
Dilly Millandry 1 month ago
You do know that members of the military do perform these roles - for any of the presidents. Lobach had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Lobach began her career in the United States Army as a distinguished military graduate in Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a distinguished military graduate where she was in the top 20 percent of cadets nationwide. So not exactly just a 'social director with great political connections'. She was hardly bad at her job. Was she flying at the time? LET'S JUST WAIT AND SEE FFS!!
Chris Jones 1 month ago
Which just goes to show you that early speculation, particularly by a country's leader, is useless and can be very harmful (look at the abhorent treatment that Jo Ellis got and she had nothing to do with any of it) and everyone should wait for the outcome of the investigation.
Willem Andries Oosterhof 1 month ago
And Trump is running his hamburger trap again!! Always blaming someone at the first instance without having the facts. The lunatic is now running the asylum.
Dave In MD 1 month ago
Standard MAGA reaction. They always say someone was either a DEI hire or a pedophile.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
It’s not realistic to expect to have to evacuate a president in separate air space. He will have to be evacuated going through commercial space. So the practice should also be in commercial space. What was wrong with this helicopter pilot that he couldn’t see the plane and maneuver around it? Sounds like maybe some equipment wasn’t working properly. And for sure communication sucked.
Alex Martin 1 month ago
The air controller knew they were going to be in the same airspace. He informed the Blackhawk Crew about the aircraft and put the on Visual Flight Rules (VFR). That basically transfers responsibility to the pilot of the helicopter to stay out of the way of the incoming jet aircraft. The Blackhawk crew radioed back that they had the plane in sight. What may have happened is the crew focused on the wrong aircraft and did not see the American Eagle plane. They could have also misjudged the vector of the plane as it was night and all they could likely see were the lights on approaching planes. Pilots have had issues for years with helicopters in the Reagan National Airport pattern. They need to deconflict the airspace.
Load More Replies... rorschach-penguin 1 month ago (edited)
Precisely—it's impossible for commercial and military airspace to not share airspace, especially in an area like DC (some of the busiest and most restricted airspace in the world).
ThatG 1 month ago
Scenario… the CRJ landing on runway 33 and another plane farther away landing on runway 01. From the angle the helicopter was coming from, both planes would have been in front of them… the helicopter pilots on the training flight are on Night Vision Goggles which has a narrow field of view. When ATC asked them if they had the plane in sight…they said yes, but they were looking at the wrong plane which was far away still and not the close one because of limitations on the Night Vision goggles.
Carrie Laughs 1 month ago
It's surely less about the existence of DEI and more about the poor application and understanding of the intentions of DEI. DEI recruitment should be about seeking people more broadly, about going for the diverse hire when there is more than one applicant who is EQUALLY competent to do the job. In careers where the bar is very high it shouldn't mean 'don't hire from here' if that's going to create staff shortages. You can have well intentioned policies being applied, really, really badly. If the candidate pool is still mostly white male, that says something about how people are fed into that pool though.
BrunoVI 1 month ago
I never mentioned DEI. (But now since your post, all the fleshbots have gone crazy downvoting me.) The policies I spoke of are older than the term "DEI." I never said the candidate pool was disproportionately white. The candidate pool is, however, largely veterans, who are 82% male, but this could be subject to better recruitment policies. But understand that whatever you *WISH* DEI meant, it means as a matter of legal definition, discrimination in favor of minorities; the REAL reason corporations are abandoning DEI is that they are presuming that without the protection of the Biden Justice Department, Fair Admissions v Harvard will be applied not only to college admissions but to hiring policy, and there'd be more billion-dollar lawsuits against corporations than you can imagine.
Carrie Laughs 1 month ago
Older than the term, so what if it's had a different name, it's the same basic thing you're saying is behind it. If that isn't what you were intended to imply than write more clearly. You also said "a freeze on hiring white males" which, again, implies something. In this instance that it was disproportionately white, otherwise why? There was no 'wish' about what DEI means, I've read the policies & I've been an employer for a long time. It of course means positive discrimination but only when certain criteria is met ie, at the basic level being capable of doing the job. Of course there should be better recruitment policies! That's part of it! No idea what any of that 'fair admissions v Harvard' means as, shock, we're not all in America & it's probably a good idea to bear that in mind when writing on an international site. If you've been downvoted for what you've written, look to yourself.
Kelly Scott 1 month ago
I'm sorry they weren't evacuating the orange monkey during this crash. It still would have been a terrible tragedy, but it would have had one bright spot.
iseefractals 1 month ago
Imagine how people would react if anyone said the same thing about Kamala, or Biden, or Obama. I've hated trump for 30 years, but the number of people on the left spouting this kind of unhinged hate, isn't winning hearts and minds.
Load More Replies... London Paris 1 month ago
None of this matters people . .what matters is that gay and trans people exist and it's THEIR fault this tragedy happened. Remember, if the president can be an obnoxious a*****e by inserting his own conspiracy theory into this tragedy and cause further pain, so can you. Remember to fit your own personal hate rhetoric into everything, just like the president.
Roxy222uk 1 month ago
Strange that there's already been two major air crashes immediately in the wake of Donny Fart sacking every single experienced person involved in air safety, and putting in place instead one person with zero experience - although they appear to be very loyal to Fart, strangely
Carrie Laughs 1 month ago
The understaffing has been an issue a lot longer than Biden was in power.
Tim Gearing 1 month ago
I think it’s sad that 67 people lost their lives. Hopefully the NTSB will find the answers and recommend safer procedures to avoid another tragedy like this.
person (i think) 1 month ago
I read an interview with a former Blackhawk pilot. He said this route in particular can be extremely difficult to differentiate between oncoming airplane lights and city lights (angles, etc)
Kevin Hickey 1 month ago
They probably don't want to release her name because a horde of a-hole Trumplings will descend upon them if her name is "ethnic".
Ren Karlej 1 month ago
Well, some people certainly sent a lot of hate at Jo Ellis (trans woman who some fools thought was one of the pilots) - but the name has been released now. Captain Rebecca M Lobach. Who had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Lobach began her career in the United States Army as a distinguished military graduate in Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a distinguished military graduate where she was in the top 20 percent of cadets nationwide.
Load More Replies... Sophia Pandia de Delphia 1 month ago
I don't know how I feel about her name being released since she was technically the one under criticism with Trump's DEI rant. I certainly know why her family didn't want her name known because all attacks would be on her. I do feel a little better about it though with you listing all her accomplishments. All of them would have to be cut down one by one to claim she is the DEI responsible and that seems to be a gargantuan task.
ElfVibratorGlitter 1 month ago
I just flew into Reagan last night....so fortunately no secret drills or whatever 😔
Karina 1 month ago
Military planes and choppers have crashed into airplanes several times before. It may also have been another airplane he thought the air controll was guiding him about, and this is why he said he saw it and still plowed straight into it. This is also, sadly not uniqe to this situation. Sending love and prayers to anyone who needs it <3
Bradley Ross 1 month ago
Apparently, there was a shortage of air traffic controllers. On one of the news shows, they said that the number of flights at an airport are reduced when there are enough controllers for a full roster. A lot of the senators use this airport to catch flights back to their home state, and they don’t want to cancel flights. Is it possible that they didn’t cancel flights to avoid inconveniencing senators.
Phillip Moderow 1 month ago
I think that the investigation will reveal enough mistakes to go around. Was the Air Controller distracted, overworked, or incompetent ? Did the American Airlines pilot have an opportunity to take evasive action and didn't ? Was the Blackhawk crew flying at the wrong altitude ? Or "D", all of the above ?
JohninND 1 month ago
I look both ways before I cross the street. I'm sure it's a bit more complex in the air but where was the error? Relying on equipment rather than eyesight? Simply not checking existing flight traffic? I'm serious, not being a wise guy.
iseefractals 1 month ago
Yes, people can accept that it was an accident....but it's idiotic to use that as a means of avoiding examination of factors that contributed to that accident occurring....because if you dont' do that, than it's more likely for that same thing to happen again! Was it a communication issue? That can be addressed. Was it a technical issue? That needs to be addressed. Was the playbook for the training exercise flawed? That needs to be addressed. Did the pilot lack experience or skills for those specific flight circumstances? That needs to be addressed. 60 some died, that's not an "oopsie" you can chalk up to "oh well, people make mistakes"
MyNameIsNotAPortent 1 month ago
“The soldiers were indeed rehearsing an evacuation plan for the president”. There’s yer problem. Going forward, Suck It Up, Princess Trump!
Dilly Millandry 1 month ago
You do know that members of the military do perform these roles - for any of the presidents. Lobach had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Lobach began her career in the United States Army as a distinguished military graduate in Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a distinguished military graduate where she was in the top 20 percent of cadets nationwide. So not exactly just a 'social director with great political connections'. She was hardly bad at her job. Was she flying at the time? LET'S JUST WAIT AND SEE FFS!!
Chris Jones 1 month ago
Which just goes to show you that early speculation, particularly by a country's leader, is useless and can be very harmful (look at the abhorent treatment that Jo Ellis got and she had nothing to do with any of it) and everyone should wait for the outcome of the investigation.
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