US Army Identifies Female Black Hawk Pilot In DC Jet Crash

Late Saturday, the US Army’s Public Affairs office confirmed that 28-year-old Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach was the pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a regional American Airlines passenger jet near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night. The crash claimed the lives of all 64 passengers and crew aboard the plane, as well as three individuals (including Lobach) in the helicopter.

After Wednesday’s mid-air crash – the deadliest in the US since Nov. 12, 2001 – the Army identified two other soldiers aboard the Black Hawk helicopter as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, and  Staff. Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, was the chopper’s crew chief. 

However, the female pilot was not identified because, according to the service: “At the request of the family, the name of the third soldier will not be released at this time.” 

On Saturday, CBS News stated that two of the three soldiers have so far been recovered from the wreckage of the Black Hawk in the Potomac River.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed that the helicopter departed from Fort Belvoir in Virginia and was on a routine training mission on Wednesday night.

JUST IN: The third soldier aboard the Black Hawk that crashed into the American Airlines plane has been identified as Capt. Rebecca Lobach, who previously worked as a White House aide in the Biden admin.

Lobach, 28, served as an aviation officer in the Army.

“We are devastated… pic.twitter.com/7IaS5Ln0ex

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 1, 2025

On Friday, President Trump commented on the mid-air accident, confirming that the helicopter was flying at an altitude much greater than the 200-foot ceiling as the regional jet was on final to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport. 

CBS’ James LaPorta and Faris Tanyos quoted Lobach’s friend, 1st Lt. Samantha Brown, who said her friend also served as a White House social aide during the Biden-Harris administration’s first term.

Social media sleuths on X found:

CPT. Rebecca Lobach of Durham, N.C. has been identified as the 3rd victim in the Blackhawk – American Airlines collision in Washington, D.C. Last month she was also a White House social aide escorting Ralph Lauren to an event, and I managed to take a few photos. pic.twitter.com/kM4shqKoTs

— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) February 2, 2025

@USArmy helicopter Pilot Capt Rebecca Lobach, involved in DCA crash, served as a White House social aide under Biden.

She escorted Ralph Lauren through the White House when he was among those awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/pogmNZus8Q

— NOVA Campaigns (@NoVA_Campaigns) February 2, 2025

🇺🇸 The female Black Hawk helicopter pilot from the crash in Washington, Captain Rebecca Lobach, was not named until her social media was cleaned … so it seems.

She was Biden’s aide. pic.twitter.com/gP16Tmr2py

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) February 2, 2025

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating why the helicopter collided with the commercial jet.