DCA - American Airlines passenger plane collides with Blackhawk over the Potomac River, all 67 on both dead, 29 Jan 2025

[Chimera]

The CRJ was exactly where it should have been on it's approach for a landing on runway 33. JMO.

Yes !
I do believe in all of this tragedy that is the main fact.

 

[Chimera]

Someone had shared the news of the sisters. Their parents were killed, also. Family of four, gone. Reposting their final Instagram photo. The caption is heartbreaking.

Two sisters, who figure skated at a national championship in Wichita, Kansas, and their parents were among those killed in the devastating Washington, DC plane crash, relatives said Thursday.

Virginia resident Donna Livingston and her husband, Peter, along with their two daughters, Everly, 11, and Alydia, 14, were named as victims of the horrific collision.

The girls were part of the Washington Figure Skating Club and often shared footage of their spirited routines on Instagram under the handle @ice_skating_sisters.

In a final Instagram post, the sisters posed with smiles in front of the ice at the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.

View attachment 561631

Family of four, including skating sisters, 11 and 14, killed in DC plane crash

Virginia resident Donna Livingston and her husband, Peter, along with their two daughters, Everly, 11, and Alydia, 14, were named as victims of the horrific collision.

nypost.com

Rest in peace, Donna, Peter, Everly and Alydia !
A whole family wiped out.
Were there any other siblings ... who survived ?

Here's a YT vid. with a little more info and pics of the victims :

 

[Chimera]

1/30/25

"Helicopter Highway"

Thanks for the video.

Wanted to ask, since the choppers don't use the runways at all, afaik, for landing/taking off, why go near the plane runways at all ?
Still do the training flights which are necessary -- but re-route them away from aircraft.
Omo.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Were there any other siblings ... who survived ?

A devastated Livingston family friend was just interviewed on CNN. The family consisted of the parents and just the two daughters.
A close little family that loved skating.
Now..
Gone.

Post from their instagram. It stated to please share.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Yes !
I do believe in all of this tragedy that is the main fact.

Another thing to consider is that the CRJ was banking left to line up with runway 33 so it's pilots would have no way to see the approaching helicopter.

ATC should have taken that lack of visibility into consideration and vectored PAT25 clear of the CRJ when the ADS-B showed them converging at the same altitude.

Instead ATC felt that the response by PAT25 that they had the traffic in sight meant that all was good. It wasn't. JMO.

 

[Seattle1]

Former Navy helicopter pilot provides perspective on what may have happened in DC crash

Former Navy helicopter pilot Jeff Huddleston explains what he thinks may have caused the collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet at DCA airport.

www.nbcwashington.com

Jeff Huddleston -- Former Navy helicopter pilot overview 9 audio/call.

 

[SouthAussie]

The CRJ was exactly where it should have been on it's approach for a landing on runway 33. JMO.

The reason that I posted the army officers NVG information is because, no matter if both aircraft were or were not on their precise route, the army officials seem to be saying that NVGs should have enabled the helicopter pilot(s) to see the aircraft.

It doesn't seem to me that they are trying to deflect fault. Just that they may be puzzled as to why evasive action wasn't taken by their pilot(s) soon enough.

imo

 

[Chimera]

Hoping that whatever happened in the final moments was pretty much instant.

 

[Arkay]

Thank you to those who posted videos of the young skaters doing their routines.

It’s difficult to watch these children, so nervous about landing their jumps etc., when we know now what fate would befall them.

I know they’ve all practiced nearly every day, for years and years, and I’m joyful (if that is the right word in such a time) to know their beauty will not fade away so long as we can still watch.

I don’t want it to all have been for nothing.

JMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

The reason that I posted the information is because, no matter if both aircraft were or were not on their precise route, the army officials seem to be saying that NVGs should have enabled the helicopter pilot(s) to see the aircraft.

It doesn't seem to me that they are trying to deflect fault. Just that they may be puzzled as to why evasive action wasn't taken by their pilot(s) soon enough.

imo

It appears to me that they are overestimating the value of NVG's in a situation like this. Having Army officials making statements that they are puzzled about this is very disconcerting to me. JMO.

 

[SouthAussie]

It appears to me that they are overestimating the value of NVG's in a situation like this. Having Army officials making statements that they are puzzled about this is very disconcerting to me. JMO.

Well, I don't understand why, seeing that there have been a lot of comments on this thread that maybe the NVGs affected their clear vision. And the army officers say otherwise. But no worries, I will just leave that subject here.

 

[airportwoman]

Hoping that whatever happened in the final moments was pretty much instant.

I agree, and that none of the occupants of either craft saw the other one.

 

[Vern]

I doubt that PAT25 had the CRJ insight. He first said that he had a visual long before they got close together and again right before the collision. He should have easily avoided the CRJ if that was what he was looking at. JMO.

I agree with you on this. I'd also say that the Apache was maintaining it's altitude the entire time whereas the CRJ (a Bombardier aircraft - pronounced as "Bombard Yay" [it's French Canadian word]) would have been dropping altitude as it lowered to land.

I think that it's entirely possible that the Apache did see the second aircraft instead. And that the CRJ was somewhat above the Apache (but lowering at the time) and therefore in a blindspot of the Apache's roof/panels above windows and of course the CRJ cannot see below itself either.

My amateur opinion only.

 

[al66pine]

Night Vision Devices (Googles). Help or Hinder Helicopter Pilots?

Gen'l. idea I can grasp:
"Together, BSP and ABC (alongside autogating) serves to prevent temporary blindness for the user and prevent damage to the tube when the night vision device is exposed to sudden bright sources of light,[29] like a muzzle flash or artificial lighting.[30] These modulation systems also help maintain a steady illumination level in the user's view that improves the ability to keep "eyes on target" in spite of temporary light flashes. These functions are especially useful for pilots, soldiers in urban environments, and special operations forces who may be exposed to rapidly changing light levels.[30][31]"
Night-vision device - Wikipedia

Tech details I don't grasp. May not be similar to NVG's Blackhawk pilots use.
Wiki Endnote ^ 31 "NAVAL AIR TRAINING COMMAND"
"FLIGHT TRAINING INSTRUCTION NIGHT VISION GOGGLE PHASE TH-57. Q-2C-3156." (112 pp)

https://web.archive.org/web/20220519041358/https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/local/docs/pat-pubs/P-431.pdf

 

[Vern]

Well, I don't understand why, seeing that there have been a lot of comments on this thread that maybe the NVGs affected their clear vision. And the army officers say otherwise. But no worries, I will just leave that subject here.

As a Canadian Army Veteran who has often used NVGs, I wouldn't think they played a role either. IMO.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

As a Canadian Army Veteran who has often used NVGs, I wouldn't think they played a role either. IMO.

The NVGs would help them see the other aircraft, especially over the Potomac River, which is only lit along the shorelines.

Do you agree with the above statement made by Army officials?

Army Officials Say Helicopter Pilots Were Likely Wearing Night-Vision Goggles

Army officials said Thursday the pilots of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the American Airlines jet had night-vision goggles and likely were wearing them at the time of the crash. Officials said using NVGs, as they are often called, would likely be useful in an urban...

www.yahoo.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

Kiah Duggins, 30

A former beauty pagaent contestant and civil rights attorney has been named among the casualties.

Kiah Duggins had been visiting her mom in her hometown of Wichita but was returning to Washington DC, where she worked for Civil Rights Corps.

She had earned a degree from Harvard Law School and served as a White House intern under former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let Girls Learn initiative.

It is with heavy heart that the Miss Augusta and Miss Butler County organization just learned that Kiah Duggins Miss Butler County 2014, 2015 was [among] passengers in the plane that crashed last evening in Washington DC,' former pageant director, Larry Strong, revealed.

'Keep the rest of the family in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Kiah was top 10 finalist in 2014 and 2015 at the Miss Kansas Pageant. Kiah was preparing to be a law professor at Howard University in the fall.'

Passengers who were on board AA flight that crashed with no survivors

More than 40 bodies have been recovered from a Washington DC aircraft collision, including a TikTok skating star, a famed athlete couple, and all four flight crew members.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Vern]

Do you agree with the above statement made by Army officials?

Army Officials Say Helicopter Pilots Were Likely Wearing Night-Vision Goggles

Army officials said Thursday the pilots of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the American Airlines jet had night-vision goggles and likely were wearing them at the time of the crash. Officials said using NVGs, as they are often called, would likely be useful in an urban...

www.yahoo.com

Yes. We wear NVGs as they actually increase our night vision.

Here's an example from the net:

 

[DS2021]

A comprehensive list

Passengers who were on board AA flight that crashed with no survivors

More than 40 bodies have been recovered from a Washington DC aircraft collision, including a TikTok skating star, a famed athlete couple, and all four flight crew members.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[steeltowngirl]

Asra Hussain, 26

Asra Hussain messaged husband Hamaad Raza , 25, to say 'We are landing in 20 minutes' as American Eagle Flight 5342 approached Reagan National Airport jut before 8pm ET Wednesday night
Asra Hussain messaged husband Hamaad Raza, 25, to say 'We are landing in 20 minutes' as American Eagle Flight 5342 approached Reagan National Airport just before 8pm ET Wednesday night.

Tragically it was the last text Asra, 26, would ever send.

Passengers who were on board AA flight that crashed with no survivors

More than 40 bodies have been recovered from a Washington DC aircraft collision, including a TikTok skating star, a famed athlete couple, and all four flight crew members.

www.dailymail.co.uk