Did glare from outdoor lighting in Washington, D.C., contribute to last month's air disaster there?
"Our examination shows how the American Airlines jet and the second plane, though separated by miles, would have appeared close to one another near the horizon and the helicopter crew could have confused the two jets when the tower first warned of incoming air traffic. The examination further shows how around a minute later, as viewed from the helicopter cockpit, the lights of the incoming American Airlines jet could have been obscured by the glow of the city skyline, allowing the jet to go undetected."
Data Request For Potomac River Tragedy - National Centers For Environmental Information (NCEI), NOAA In The News
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https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/ <-- shared NCEI home page
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“A CNN Reporter requested data to portray the depth of the Potomac River near the site of the tragic plane and helicopter crash. The Digital Elevation Model Bathymetry (DEM) Team responded with information on how to use NCEI’s high-resolution Continuously Updated Digital Elevation Models (CUDEMs) to generate a map of the Potomac River and provided an example map…”
#GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #bathymetry #topobathy #DEM #elevation #depth #NCEI #opendata #CUDEM #disaster #collision #air #potomacriver #potomac #crash #airdisaster #Washington #helicopter #ArmyHelicopter #blackhawk #NOAA #aviation #midair
@NOAA @NCEI
Imagine that... an aircraft black box that doesn't timestamp:
'The NTSB says it will have to build a timeline for the data from the flight data recorder on the #blackhawk helicopter involved in last week's c̶o̶l̶l̶i̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ deadly crash in Washington because the data wasn't time stamped. The Board had hoped to get definitive answers on the discrepancy between the radar data and the FDR and ADS-B gear on the CRJ700'
#NTSB Delayed In Altitude Verification Of Collision Aircraft
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ntsb-stalled-in-altitude-verification-of-collision-aircraft/
The ex-military, asshat commentators / talking heads experts are reluctant to blame the Army #Blackhawk pilot. (This is nationwide.)
Never once mention the 200 ft. flight ceiling for helicopters in that corridor.
This POS cowboy was flying at 350 ft. , on the ILS glide path of Runway 33 when he slammed into a passenger jet killing 64 people.
These military asshats are dishonorable, dishonest and lowest form of life.
#ATC 2X alerted the #Army helicopter to the presence of an inbound #AmericanAirlines jet, w/the first warning issued 2 mins before the aircraft collided Wed near #ReaganNationalAirport, radio transmissions show.
Aviation experts who reviewed the comms said that a member of the #BlackHawk helo crew responded each time by saying that he could see the plane & requested “visual separation,” meaning the helo would maintain a safe distance. Each time, the request was approved.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/01/31/audio-air-traffic-control-dc-plane-crash/
@bespacific Elephant in the room looking more like the BlackHawk copter was looking for trouble than any FAA timeline. #potomac #blackhawk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfgllf1L9_4
via https://sfba.social/@drahardja/113922021778305822
Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, had 1,000 hours of flight time, which is considered experienced. The co-pilot, whose name is being withheld, had 500 hours, which is considered normal.
Officials also tell NPR that the #BlackHawk was supposed to be flying at a maximum of 200 feet, though sources say it was flying at least 100 feet higher. All requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the investigation.
Horrible:
#Disinformation on #socialmedia falsely claims she was a #transgender pilot from the Virginia National Guard named Jo Ellis. Ellis has posted a "proof of life" video on Facebook, denouncing the rumors & offering condolences to those killed in the crash.
Army IDs 2 names of the #BlackHawk #helicopter crew in DC #crash withholds 1
The Govs of GA & MS have identified 2 of the BlackHawk helicopter crew killed in a collision w/ #AA5342 at #ReaganNationalAirport on Wed night. They are Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, & Staff Sgt Ryan O'Hara.
At the request of the family the #Army is not going to release the name of the female member of the 3-person helicopter crew.
[probably because #Trump would attack her as a DEI hire]
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/nx-s1-5281246/pentagon-jet-military-helicopter-collision
DC Plane Crash Evokes Memories Of 1961 Belgium Disaster That Killed US Figure Skating Team https://www.byteseu.com/700536/ #AmericanAirlines #Belgium #BlackHawk #FigureSkaters #PlaneCrash #trump #USNewsNewsTimesNow #WashingtonDC
Just 24 hours before the collision of American Eagle Flight #AA5342 & an Army #BlackHawk #helicopter near #ReaganNationalAirport on Wednesday, another jet trying to land there had to make a second approach after a helicopter appeared near its flight path, according to an audio recording from #ATC.
That plane, Republic Airways Flight 4514, eventually landed safely, flight tracker maps show.
When I was in the Navy, I learned about "the law of gross tonnage", an unofficial rule, afaik, that states that, even if they've made a mistake or are in the wrong, the larger craft always has right of way because they can't maneuver to avoid collision as well as a smaller craft.
The military needs to be held responsible for the senseless tragedy that they caused.
Final touchdown turn
DC bound and almost down
Sky lit bright then black
#Haiku #OneHaikuADay #WritersCollective #writingcommunity #BackToHaiku #January #Seasons #Winter #Cold #Frigid #Potomac #PotomacRiver #DCA #AmericanAirlines #Blackhawk #USArmy #Hope #FAA
January 30, 2025
News tonight of a government BlackHawk helicopter on a VIP transport training mission causing a midair collisions with a commercial airliner landing in DC.
Unconfirmed reports of four survivors so far, developing situation.
This is the most serious domestic US commercial air disaster since 2009.
The Army #Blackhawk helicopter was on a TRAINING mission.
3 soldiers total onboard
The #Army said in a statement that the #helicopter, a UH-60 #BlackHawk, was operating out of #FortBelvoir in #Virginia. It was unclear if the helicopter was departing or returning to Fort Belvoir.
Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of #FlightAttendants union, said 2 union flight attendants were working the #AmericanAirlines flight that crashed.
Greg Cocks 
x7 
