Talking heads will work this story over and over again. I just heard FOX News @LawrenceBJones3 use "T Bone" and "Right A Way" and a Fox contributor state that "under visual flight rules you are supposed to look out of the window". I'm it turning it off.
Above Flightaware replay showing the American Flight's track just before impact.
The cause? I'll risk reputation:
ATC Radar shows both American Eagle 5342 and the Blackhawk Helo flight paths. You'll notice the “CA” collision alert repeatedly flashing.
Note: source unconfirmed data presented not verified.
The Helo crew is watching the river they are flying visually with the aid of both heads-up display and night vision helmets. Background lights from DC are everywhere at 300 feet and close to the shore. In the Helo lights are above and below your line of sight.
From the Helo's perspective everything is moving blinking and reflecting, depth perception is affected. There's a tiny CRJ airliner out there that you think you saw dead center over the Potomac River seconds ago.
The hard ceiling for the Helo is supposed to be 100 feet along the river. The Helo is at 300 AGL.
On board the American Eagle Flight 5342 the moonless night is dark but cold and clear and since it is VFR conditions a request to use runway 33 is made. The use of runway 33 at Reagan will put the aircraft closer to the terminal upon roll-out and save time.
The request is approved and American 5343 makes a slight turn to the east to ease the turn to line up with runway 33. Seconds later the aircraft turns west and lines up with runway 33 on a heading of 330.
The turn and the change from Runway 1 to 33 moves the aircraft from over the water where it is highly visible to over DC where it disappears into the background lights of our Nation's Capitol.
In the cockpit things are moving quickly. Checklists are completed F/A's are seated the runway lights fill the windshield. Now on the new heading the flight deck crew is mentally a mile ahead of the aircraft. Cleared to land and touch down in 8, 7, 6.....
The shift to runway 33 made the CRJ lights that were easily visible over the river on the approach to runway 1 disappear into the background lights of DC.
The question in the Helo was likely, "where did he go?" ... Game over.
The UH/VH 60 had three crew a Pilot in Command a Co-Pilot and the Crewchief. While on NVG as stated above depth perception sucks The PIC and CP have not only inside the aircraft to worry about but also outside. The Crew Chief is literally head on a swivel both port and starboard fore and aft. The lights of surrounding DC are definitely interfering with vis. Not only that but the position lights on their own aircraft are doing the same especially the port side where the lighting is red and really doing a number on the NVG’s. Couple this with the fact that they were positioned 200 feet AGL above where they were supposed to be it is no wonder that this very unfortunate crash occurred.
ReplyDeleteI’ve read where people are calling for “heads to roll” both on the civilian and military side. I have no doubt that there will be several people who will not have or already are out of a job / looking at a court-marshal. These will help ease the pain of the loved ones. What really needs to happen is more training and definitely strict adherence to the flight rules on the ANG part when crossing that river in the course of a mission or training. It would also help to have another observer in the back.
Excellent detail!
DeleteWut bro yappin ab
DeleteAre those real atc graphics? They look inspired by pong…easily 50 years outdated. Do they run on a tape drive yet or is this system card fed?
ReplyDeleteOur infrastructure is so outdated and in horrible shape
Are we really ignoring the fact that Trump came out and within 24 hours of the crash blame the whole thing on Dei. So what this means is: from here on out, for the next four years if anything that goes wrong blame it on the black guy. This is an embarrassment and Trump is a joke. No other president has ever sunk as low as this piece of garbage.
ReplyDeleteWell, helo was being flown by a female without an extensive amount of experience. If a white make wanted to fly, he would have to be the best of the best. The more ticks in the ‘underserved’ category, the better your chances. I have no idea the race of the pilot. That doesn’t matter. But she was flying a couple hundred feet too high, and flew one of Americas greatest fighting weapons into a landing plane.
DeleteIn no world is she not at minimum culpable. As far as dei goes, would she have been in that seat without it? Look around you and ask if some of the women at CMPD would be there if we had equal physical standards.
Your guilt is making you think, blame the black guy. As there was neither a black person or a guy at fault. But go on about your day Major. We know you deserve every promotion Romo and JJ gave you.
Umm….we have been talking about privilege for 4 years. They can dish it, but not take it.
DeleteNow we hear it’s a blk female helo pilot. Kinda reminds me that half our brass fits that description. Dei=die
Delete757 hahahahhahahahhahaa
DeleteThat was clever
Are you that stupid to think DEI is only about race? Make no mistake it has a lot to do with why ATC grossly understaffed across the country. Biden admin currently has ongoing lawsuits because applicants with top scores were denied employment because they wanted to fill DEI spots with those with physical disabilities and of course races other than Caucasian and they didn't have enough applicants, do you think they would go back to the top scoring applicants, nope. To be so stupid to think people should be hired who are not experienced and only because of physical appearances makes it sound like you are an Affirmative Action hire, completely unskilled and you're ok with that!
DeleteDEI= unqualified retard
DeleteCP seems to be saying the ATC graphics are sus. But sure does closely match the flight path.
ReplyDelete