At least two soldiers on board the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided midair with an American Airlines passenger plane over Washington, D.C., have been identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Crew Chief Ryan OโHara. The tragic crash, which occurred during a routine training exercise, claimed 67 lives, marking the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 2009.
Families Mourn the Loss of Soldiers
Eaves’ wife, Carrie Eaves, confirmed his passing in an emotional social media post early Thursday morning.
โI am sure by now all of you have heard the news of the tragedy that has occurred in D.C. My husband was one of the pilots in the Black Hawk. We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve,โ she wrote.
Ryan OโHara, 28, a father from Georgia, was serving as the crew chief aboard the UH-60 helicopter during its annual proficiency training flight.
His father, Gary OโHara, recalled the chilling moment he saw the news of the crash on television Wednesday night.
โI just had a gut feeling when I saw the story breaking,โ he told The Washington Post.
At 10 a.m. Thursday, Army officials arrived at his doorstep to confirm his worst fearโhis son was among the casualties.
Highly Experienced Crew
The soldiers on board the Black Hawk were highly trained professionals, according to retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Koziol.
OโHara had logged hundreds of flight hours, while Eaves, the instructor pilot leading the training, had accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours. The female pilot commanding the flight, who has not yet been publicly identified, had over 500 hours of experience.
โBoth pilots had flown this specific route before at nightโthis wasnโt something new to either one of them,โ Koziol told ABC News. โThese are our top pilots doing this National Capital Region.โ
The cause of the collision is currently under investigation by federal aviation and military authorities.
