Here's the Information the Army Decided to Withhold About the Reagan Air Crash

It’s an unspeakable tragedy. Sixty-seven people lost their lives on January 29 when an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an oncoming American Airlines flight from Kanas on approach at Reagan National Airport. There were no survivors—all 67 people, three on the chopper and 64 on the plane were killed. It’s the worst aviation disaster in years, though one many saw coming, given the flight patterns and heavy congestion in the area.  

As the victims are being revealed, many were young figure skaters, a whole family got wiped out, and a host of other tragic stories have emerged from the wreckage. It’s awful, yet the US Army opted to bury one piece of information: the name of the helicopter pilot (via NY Post): 

The Army is refusing to name the female pilot killed aboard the military helicopter that collided with a passenger jet flying into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday. 

In an announcement Friday, the Army, which disclosed the names of the two other soldiers in the chopper who died, said the woman’s family requested her identity be withheld from the public. 

“At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time,” the Army Public Affairs wrote on their website. 

The unidentified soldier was an experienced pilot with more than 500 of flying experience, the Telegraph reported, citing Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff of the army’s aviation directorate.

 The Army on Friday formally identified Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, as the two other service members who were on the Black Hawk helicopter when it went down in the fiery crash into the Potomac River.

Why is the Army blocking the name of this person? It’s relevant information. The lack of transparency has led to a misinformation incident, where a transgender pilot was erroneously identified as the pilot. The media talks about conspiracy theories pervading the landscape—this is how they get started. 

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