The U.S. Army’s decision to not release the name of the third pilot aboard the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed Wednesday has sparked intense speculation over why not.
As previously reported, the Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines jet late Wednesday near the Ronald Reagan National Airport, causing an explosion and subsequent crash into the Potomac River that left everybody aboard both craft dead.
There is absolutely NO WAY the Black Hawk didn’t see the American Airlines plane. They flew right into it. pic.twitter.com/Fco4yVzSXy
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) January 31, 2025
On Friday, the U.S. Army released the names of two of the Black Hawk’s pilots: Andrew Eaves and Ryan O’Hara, both males. But in what The New York Times described as an “extraordinary step,” the Army refused to release the name of the third pilot.
In a statement, the Army attributed this decision to the wishes of the third pilot’s family.
“At the request of the family, the name of the third soldier will not be released at this time,” the statement reads.
What’s known for certain is that the third pilot was a female. This has sparked speculation that the U.S. Army’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies under the Biden administration are linked to Wednesday’s crash.
“I am concerned about what happened and if this is the result of a DEI type situation,” one speculator wondered on Twitter/X. “Were any standards lowered to get her in the cockpit?”
Others wondered why the third pilot’s family would want to hide her identity from the world.
“Why would a family not want the public to know they lost their military loved one?” one speculator asked.
A third group of commentators and speculators argued that the public has the right to know who the third pilot was, regardless of the family’s wishes.
“I understand the family’s concern. But 60 people died,” one commenter wrote. “We have a right to know who was flying the helicopter.”
See more conjecture and thoughts below:
It certainly makes it seem like they’re hiding something. The name will come out eventually, why delay the inevitable
— Bolo Sabon (@FangOfShigeki) January 31, 2025
Considering the helicoptor flew directly into the plane, yes, we have a right to know the name of the 3rd pilot. Did they write a manifesto? Something is being hidden.
— DocSavageWV (@DocSavageWV) January 31, 2025
This withholding of information doesn’t pass the smell test. Why would one family choose to withhold information when the other two didn’t? Don’t they know that this will arouse more not less suspicion?
— CSharpDad (@CSharpDad) January 31, 2025
Yeah, I find this particularly odd as well. And not a good look. The truth will come out eventually and suspect that when it does, there will be a lot more speculation as to why the name was actually withheld in the first place.
— Croxxed Out (@FLCons) January 31, 2025
I am still very skeptical that this is anything other than a freak accident. BUT this redacting of the name and information does prevent people like me from saying with certainty that there wasn’t something more going on. Agree. DoD needs to release more info on this.
— Brandon Weichert (@WeTheBrandon) January 31, 2025
In fairness to the third unidentified pilot, deceased pilot Ryan O’Hara had thought highly of her and Eaves.
“He trusted them with his life,” O’Hara’s father, Gary, told CBS News on Friday.
Gary also pushed back on the suggestion that any of the pilots had lacked the experience and skill to do the job.
“You have to earn your spot to be moved into the ladder to be put into that helicopter,” he said. “They don’t just give it to you. You earn it. And you know, all of those soldiers that protect us, they earn their stripes every single day.”
That said, there has also been speculation that the Federal Aviation Administration’s own DEI policies may have been at fault for Wednesday’s crash.
The Washington Times reported on Thursday that critics had for years warned that the FAA’s focus on DEI was diverting time and resources from air travel safety.
“It hobbled the agency as it grappled with air traffic controller shortages, antiquated monitoring equipment and an increase in near misses on crowded airport runways,” the Times reported, citing critics’ complaints.
Plus, as also previously reported, a preliminary FAA report found that the traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was essentially understaffed when Wednesday’s American Airlines crash occurred.
NEW:
A preliminary FAA report says staffing in the air traffic control tower at Reagan National was “not normal” last night.
One controller was managing both helicopters in the vicinity and planes — tasks typically divided between two controllers. pic.twitter.com/fmtqtSKRyA
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) January 30, 2025
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Vivek@bizpacreview.com
V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.
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