Update: We will probably never know the identity of the woman who flew the Army helicopter that collided with a passenger jet in DC on Wednesday night.
Fox News reported the co-pilot was a woman with only 500 hours of flying experience.
She was training to fly with night vision goggles on. Three night vision goggles were found in the helicopter’s wreckage.
The instructor pilot is identified as Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves. The second soldier in the chopper was the crew chief, Ryan O’Hara.
But the U.S. Army has declined to name the female co-pilot at the request of the family.
READ ALSO: Trump Blames DEI Hires for Deadly DC Plane Crash (Video)
The co-pilot was being “evaluated” when the helicopter suddenly went off course and climbed 200 feet into the path of the airliner.
BREAKING: New, much more clear video of the American Airlines collision with the Black Hawk.
Thoughts from any Pilots? pic.twitter.com/s11IykHDPM
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 31, 2025
Among the victims on the plane was attorney and Howard University law professor Kiah Duggins. She was also a former Miss Butler County pageant winner in 2014 and 2015.
Larry Strong, her former pageant director, said Duggins was preparing for her first year as a law professor at Howard University.
Howard University President Ben Vinson III said in a statement: “We ask for privacy and respect for Professor Duggins’ family, students, and colleagues during this difficult time.”
Heartbreaking Attorney Kiah Duggins was very passionate about making lasting change in the legal system, she sadly passed after a Black Hawk Helicopter collided with American Airline Plane claiming 67 lives ???? pic.twitter.com/2tW7gMb33C
— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) January 31, 2025
The catastrophic errors that led to the mid-air collision included just one air traffic controller to direct both the plane and the helicopter.
Insiders with the FAA tell DailyMail.com that the helicopter was a half-mile off course and flying in an unapproved area.
The helicopter was also flying at an altitude above 300 feet instead of 200 feet to avoid collisions with planes.
A flight tracker shows the helicopter flying erratically on both sides of the Potomac River. It then made a sharp right turn near the airport before climbing rapidly and colliding with the passenger jet over the Potomac.
In a rare press briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump blamed the previous administration’s DEI policies for the tragedy.
Trump said the Biden administration based hiring on physical characteristics and sexuality rather than on the best qualified candidates.
Trump rails against FAA DEI practices: "The FAA's diversity and inclusion hiring plan says diversity is integral to ensuring safe and efficient travel. A group within the FAA determined the workforce was too White. They actually came out with a directive saying it's too White." pic.twitter.com/0QjK8DN6ks
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) January 30, 2025
Trump also read an article quoting the FAA‘s job qualifications for air traffic controller candidates.
“The FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities — uh, that is amazing,” Trump said sarcastically.
Trump continued, “FAA says people with severe disabilities are the most underrepresented segment of the work force and they want them in and… they can be air traffic controllers. I don’t think so.”
Trump: "I do want to point out that various articles that appeared prior to my entering office. Here's one — 'the FAA's diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.' That is amazing." pic.twitter.com/pRrmzDtWSu
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 30, 2025
