Washington D.C. Plane Crash
Pilot Identified After Army Initially Refused
Published
The final member of the three-person crew in the Black Hawk that crashed into an American Airlines passenger jet leading to the death of 67 people has been identified.
Captain Rebecca Lobach — the pilot of the helicopter — was identified by the U.S. Army as the final member of the ill-fated crew. She was 28 years old.
While the U.S. Army initially declined to name Lobach at the behest of the family, they changed course Saturday when the family released their own statement about her death.
.@USARMY releases the name of the third Black Hawk crew member in this week’s devastating collision with the American Airlines Jet: Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina. And a rare, heartbroken statement from her family. pic.twitter.com/cLCu1sW87v
— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) February 1, 2025
@TaraCopp
Lobach’s family released a statement to the media … touting her accomplishments during her time in the military — and making it clear she worked hard to get where she did.
In addition, the Lobach family says Rebecca actually helped out in the White House … organizing events for the President and First Lady — presumably Joe and Jill Biden.
It’s significant that her family is mentioning that she earned her spot in the military … ’cause earlier this week, Donald Trump placed the blame for the crash squarely on the pilot.
The two other crew members — Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Staff. Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara — were identified earlier this week.
It’s still not clear what caused the crash which claimed the lives of 67 people. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating.