DC plane crash: Airport employees arrested over leaked video of midair collision
FOX NewsFeb 08
DC Air Crash: Remains of All 67 Victims Recovered
story
Above: A plane lifts off from Reagan National Airport as a crew works to remove debris from the Potomac River during recovery efforts on Feb. 3, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia. Image copyright: Chip Somodevilla/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The remains of all 67 victims from the midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, DC, have been recovered, 66 of which were positively identified as of Feb. 5.
The passenger manifest included about a dozen figure skaters aged 11-16, as well as their families and coaches, who were returning from a development camp; seven friends from Maryland going on a hunting trip; business travelers; and a four-person flight crew.
All three Army soldiers on the helicopter perished — Ryan O’Hara, 28, Andrew Eaves, 39, and Rebecca Lobach, 28. They were reportedly conducting a flight re-qualification training mission, which Army Col. Mark Ott said they'd done several times before.
The Spin
Right narrative
While it's sad to imagine, Americans can't help but wonder if diversity hiring had something to do with this tragedy. Air traffic control has used DEI since the Obama administration, which means some of the men and women tasked with protecting the skies may not be qualified to do so. Air traffic control is certainly understaffed, but DEI should not be the solution.
Left narrative
The DC plane crash was a direct result of severe understaffing within the air traffic control system. With only thousands of positions currently vacant, controllers are overworked, leading to fatigue and reduced effectiveness. The rigorous hiring process and high attrition rate exacerbate the shortage, not diversity hiring, which maintains stringent standards.
Narrative C
Instead of debating staffing or DEI, Americans deserve to know the specifics of this tragic crash. Why was a Biden White House aide, Rebecca Lobach, with only 500 hours of flight hours under her belt, piloting the Blackhawk on a training mission near a busy airport? What was the exact nature of communications between air traffic control and the helicopter regarding its view of the commercial flight? These questions should not be swept under the rug.
