Plane collides with Blackhawk helicopter Washington DC

[Zaphod58]

All speculation at this point, but any training flight would require one's attention to not be completely focused but rather split here and there, I would imagine.

No it wouldn’t. It would require them flying the aircraft, and flying routes that they would routinely fly, under conditions that they’d normally fly in. Training flights in the military are frequently about getting time in, and keeping currency up.

This flight was a routine NVG/night evaluation that happens all the time.

[Ravenwatcher]

I'm still confused over the video of the collision to me it looks deliberate if the small dot was the Blackhawk it being a Helicopter had plenty of time for correction, but it took a B-line directly at the big Dot. Thats if I'm viewing it correctly.

[Zaphod58]

I'm still confused over the video of the collision to me it looks deliberate if the small dot was the Blackhawk it being a Helicopter had plenty of time for correction, but it took a B-line directly at the big Dot. Thats if I'm viewing it correctly.

There were three aircraft in the area, and in the time before the crash this was the third aircraft to land on runway 33 instead of 01. You’re looking at this from afterwards, with plenty of time, not as it was happening with seconds to react. This airspace is extremely busy, and complex and things happen fast.

[quintessentone]

No it wouldn’t. It would require them flying the aircraft, and flying routes that they would routinely fly, under conditions that they’d normally fly in. Training flights in the military are frequently about getting time in, and keeping currency up.

This flight was a routine NVG/night evaluation that happens all the time.

CNN has ret. Col. Leighton explains where the helicopter pilot's focus is on during a flight and inexperience of the flight route may have played a role. Watch the video footage where it appears the helicopter flies right into the plane.

[guyfriday]

At the Presidents press conference about this, it was stated that the military flight was a training mission dealing with Continuity of Government. While not a massive issue, I think this is another angle that needs to be put out due to the conspiracy smell it will give the accident.

[Zaphod58]

CNN has ret. Col. Leighton explains where the helicopter pilot's focus is on during a flight and inexperience of the flight route may have played a role. Watch the video footage where it appears the helicopter flies right into the plane.

The reports are that the crew was fairly experienced and it was a simple currency evaluation flight. There’s no indication of inexperience or unfamiliarity with the area yet.

[quintessentone]

The reports are that the crew was fairly experienced and it was a simple currency evaluation flight. There’s no indication of inexperience or unfamiliarity with the area yet.

Well they have put together a team to investigate what happened and I hope they find out so it will never happen again.

[Zaphod58]

The instructor pilot on the Blackhawk had 1,000 hours, and the pilot being evaluated had 500 hours. Both were familiar with the airspace, and were on night vision goggles for the flight, which may have hampered their ability to identify the PSA flight.

Looking at radar data, I believe the helicopter crew identified AAL3130 as the PSA flight. They were behind them and on a similar approach, inbound to runway 01, while the PSA flight did a circular approach to 33.

TCAS Resolution Alert descents are inhibited below 1450 feet, and Resolution Alerts are inhibited completely below 500 feet, including audible alerts. They would have gotten a Traffic Alert but unless they were looking at the TCAS screen, they wouldn’t have known. At that altitude and position on the approach they would have been looking at the runway, not in the cockpit.

[Zaphod58]

The PSA flight checked in on an instrument approach to runway 01, before requesting a visual approach to runway 33, requiring a turning approach. The Blackhawk may not have seen them in the turn.

The helicopter rules for the area require them to descend from 1,000 feet, in stages down to 200 or below North of Wilson Bridge. The collision occurred at 300 feet.

[Ravenwatcher]

Why would they be flying with night vision in a major city with all the lights wouldn't that disrupt vision I know mine do not like light of any kind especially bright city lights.