A retired Military helicopter pilot shared insights into what might have precipitated Wednesday’s lethal mid-air collision over the Potomac River in Washington, DC — starting from visibility challenges to pilot error to a freak accident.
Chatting with Fox Information’ “Fox and Friends” Thursday, retired Lt. Col Darin Gaub, who flew Black Hawk helicopters just like the one concerned in Wednesday night time’s crash, stated “anything is on the table” in terms of explaining the crash that claimed 67 lives.
“Why didn’t [the pilot] turn? Why didn’t [the pilot] even slow down?” Gaub stated.
“Something caused him not to see that aircraft … so I’d just like to know is there an answer to the question of why they didn’t deviate from their flight course at all — speed or altitude.”
Earlier than the crash, the pilot acknowledged a message from air site visitors management warning a couple of passenger aircraft in its flight path.
Gaub instructed the helicopter pilot may need been wanting on the unsuitable aircraft and didn’t see American Airways Flight 5342 earlier than the collision.
The Pentagon confirmed Thursday that pilots within the doomed US Military UH-60 helicopter have been utilizing night time imaginative and prescient goggles to assist them see through the coaching flight.
Gaub stated the goggles assist pilots see in the dead of night, however limit the field of regard “down to about 40 degrees” — which he stated may have probably restricted “a good chunk” of visibility for the three-person crew.
“It’s a relevant point to know whether they went unaided — which is basic night flying — or under night-vision goggles,” he stated.
He additionally identified that the Potomac River — from which our bodies are nonetheless being recovered — serves as a pure air hall which defines “exactly where [pilots] are supposed to fly” — serving to them choose each altitude and course, Gaub stated.
Observe the NYP’s protection of the lethal DC aircraft collision
“If they went too high, that’s a possibility they could have run into an aircraft that way,” he stated, emphasizing that it’s only a hypothetical and we don’t but know what occurred.
He largely dismissed the notion that the chopper carrying simply three crew members as a substitute of its full capability of 4 may have performed an element, noting that it’s “not unusual” in coaching missions for a Black Hawk to make the most of a crew of three.
One other potential reason behind the obvious confusion on board the helicopter may have been the intense lights emanating from the bustling metropolis beneath.
“When you fly in an environment that is so lit up with city lights, and you also then blend in aircraft lights, and many aircraft flying, it can actually all kind of blend together,” Gaub stated.
“At certain altitudes, you can actually have a difficult time differentiating between an aircraft with its lights on and cars on the streets and streetlights,” he added, recalling an incident whereas piloting a chopper in Korea the place he had a close to miss with a 747 as a result of he thought it was “cars on the street moving.”
Frustratingly, Gaub stated on account of their age, Black Hawk helicopters usually are not usually outfitted with “black box” flight recorders like can be present in industrial plane, that means ascertaining the definitive reason behind the crash might be “up to external sources and witnesses to piece together.”
