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OT: Plane and helicopter collide in DC

Unfortunately, it seemed a matter of time for something like this to happen. There have been numerous close calls over the last few years. A lot of aircraft in the skies.
 
How did that copter not see plane

Air shows are known to have crashes when crafts are flying near each other at low altitudes. Pilots don't see each other well. One can be looking up during an ascent and another is looking in other directions
 
Unfortunately, it seemed a matter of time for something like this to happen. There have been numerous close calls over the last few years. A lot of aircraft in the skies.
This is unfortunately very true, we were living on borrowed time with some of these
 
Wow. I used to fly into Reagan National every Monday in my previous life on a project team in Silver Spring.
 
Looks like the first group of victims has been identified - at least rumors on social media.

The US Figure Skating Championships were held in Wichita this week - and those the made the finals stayed an extra day and boarded the doomed flight this evening.

Looks like a bunch of young US Figure Skaters and coaches may have died...ugh.
 



Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
Jan. 30, 2025, 2:39 a.m. ET6 minutes ago
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
U.S. Figure Skating, the American governing body for the sport, said “several members of our skating community," including athletes, coaches and family members, were on the plane that crashed on Wednesday night. They were returning from a camp for top skaters that follows the figure skating championships, which were held in Wichita, Kan., this past weekend.
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
Jan. 30, 2025, 2:40 a.m. ET5 minutes ago
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy,” Alex Schauffler, U.S. Figure Skating’s communications director, said in the statement.
 
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Reactions: TM94goRU
Just stated they have switched from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. They do not expect any survivors.
 
In 2023 the NYT reported on increasing near mishaps

"The incidents — highlighted in preliminary F.A.A. safety reports but not publicly disclosed — were among a flurry of at least 46 close calls involving commercial airlines last month alone.

They were part of an alarming pattern of safety lapses and near misses in the skies and on the runways of the United States, a Times investigation found. While there have been no major U.S. plane crashes in more than a decade, potentially dangerous incidents are occurring far more frequently than almost anyone realizes — a sign of what many insiders describe as a safety net under mounting stress.

So far this year, close calls involving commercial airlines have been happening, on average, multiple times a week, according to a Times analysis of internal F.A.A. records, as well as thousands of pages of federal safety reports and interviews with more than 50 current and former pilots, air traffic controllers and federal officials.

The incidents often occur at or near airports and are the result of human error, the agency’s internal records show. Mistakes by air traffic controllers — stretched thin by a nationwide staffing shortage — have been one major factor.
The close calls have involved all major U.S. airlines and have happened nationwide."

Airline Close Calls Happen Far More Often Than Previously Known​

 
A commercial jet shouldn’t have to concern themselves with helicopter traffic on final descent.
Why is that copter anywhere near passenger aircraft final descent landing space?
So tragic.
I heard these helicopters are not to be more than 200 feet off the ground for these training missions. The collision happened at 300 feet. I've seen video where the copter is going right at the plane after telling the air traffic controller they saw the plane. While it's highly unlikely the helicopter operator did this on purpose, it's hard to understand how they were unable to steer clear of the plane.
 
I heard these helicopters are not to be more than 200 feet off the ground for these training missions. The collision happened at 300 feet. I've seen video where the copter is going right at the plane after telling the air traffic controller they saw the plane. While it's highly unlikely the helicopter operator did this on purpose, it's hard to understand how they were unable to steer clear of the plane.
I keep hearing the airspace around DC is very crowded, I think everyone understands that.
Go train ANY DAMN place where being 300 feet off the ground is zero threat to commercial aircraft.
Helicopters routinely fly up the river?
Why, it’s final approach space….unless it’s an emergency?
 
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I keep hearing the airspace around DC is very crowded, I think everyone understands that.
Go train ANY DAMN place where being 300 feet off the ground is zero threat to commercial aircraft.
Helicopters routinely fly up the river?
Why, it’s final approach space….unless it’s an emergency?
Zap,

From what I have seen this wasn't necessarily a training flight, but a transport flight. The callsign used by the Blackhawk was PAT25 and PAT stands for Priority Air Transport which refers to military VIP flights by the 12th aviation battalion out of Ft Belvior. I believe the flight originated at the Pentagon.
 
Zap,

From what I have seen this wasn't necessarily a training flight, but a transport flight. The callsign used by the Blackhawk was PAT25 and PAT stands for Priority Air Transport which refers to military VIP flights by the 12th aviation battalion out of Ft Belvior. I believe the flight originated at the Pentagon.
I always respect your every thought m1….
I’m just pissed off.
 
Obviously this wasn't a small change in the young man's schedule but whenever tragedies happen I always think about the small changes in someone's schedule that drastically altered their lives that day.
 
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