What The F***

[wenchbarwer]

Yet

[dedja]

How can a chopper collide with a passenger plane as it’s coming in to land?

[locky801]

How can a chopper collide with a passenger jet as it’s coming in to land?

fail to stop at stop sign perhaps

[dedja]

Looks like it just ran into it at the same height

US Army Black Hawk no less

[Jim05]

Looks like it just ran into it at the same height

US Army Black Hawk no less

Training flight, very congested airspace so little room for error. US ATC is a mess at the best of times and you would be shocked at how many very near misses there are in the skies almost daily. Only a matter of time sadly.

[Pseudo]

How can a chopper collide with a passenger plane as it’s coming in to land?

Caused by Democrats and diversity, apparently...

[Brodlach]

Trump flat out blamed the helicopter pilot, opens a can of worms

[dedja]

How can a chopper collide with a passenger plane as it’s coming in to land?

Caused by Democrats and diversity, apparently...

Yep, they voted him in, so now they can enjoy the spoils …

[Jim05]

Trump flat out blamed the helicopter pilot, opens a can of worms

Combination of helicopter pilot and ATC error IMO.
Their ATC system has been a mess for years but they know best

[Brodlach]

Trump flat out blamed the helicopter pilot, opens a can of worms

Combination of helicopter pilot and ATC error IMO.
Their ATC system has been a mess for years but they know best

He said the helicopter could have gone a million different directions but continued to just go straight and therefore collided.

To me he gave it a mental health/deliberate overtone to it. That maybe was just me though

[dedja]

Don’t overthink any utterance from the Orange One, let’s wait for those with a brain to properly investigate and report.

Disgusting that anyone would politicise a tragic event, but here we are.

[Booney]

Trump flat out blamed the helicopter pilot, opens a can of worms

Combination of helicopter pilot and ATC error IMO.
Their ATC system has been a mess for years but they know best

He said the helicopter could have gone a million different directions but continued to just go straight and therefore collided.

To me he gave it a mental health/deliberate overtone to it. That maybe was just me though

Could have just stopped it, or gone straight up, or straight down.

Bloke is a genius.

[Dutchy]

Our new cars these days have anti collision alarms, how can planes/copters not have the same? (Im sure they do - but WTF happened here?)

[am Bays]

Not 100% sure a "four helicopter length alert" beeping on the dash would've stopped this one given the velocities involved....

[Jim05]

Our new cars these days have anti collision alarms, how can planes/copters not have the same? (Im sure they do - but WTF happened here?)

I honestly believe the poor standards by US ATC has played a big part and the helicopter pilot has somehow mistaken the wrong aircraft. There was other aircraft on longer approaches and I do think he has seen the one furthest away and thought he was clear.

[dedja]

Our new cars these days have anti collision alarms, how can planes/copters not have the same? (Im sure they do - but WTF happened here?)

I honestly believe the poor standards by US ATC has played a big part and the helicopter pilot has somehow mistaken the wrong aircraft. There was other aircraft on longer approaches and I do think he has seen the one furthest away and thought he was clear.

It’s hard for anyone like me who hasn’t flown an aircraft, or has any experience with aircraft movements at an airport to understand how this can happen.

The plane was directly in front of the chopper, and the chopper pilot was advised and apparently acknowledged air traffic control when they notified them about the plane, so it seems inconceivable that they didn’t see it.

I watched an interview with Sully Sullenberger yesterday, and he was very respectful and didn’t want to pre-judge the investigation by speculating, but what he did say that there were a lot of things to go right with aircraft and traffic control to ensure safety … I guess supporting what Jim has suggested in stating it’s that surprising that these accidents don’t happen more often.

It will all come out eventually, so hopefully that will provide some answers and recommendations that will improve safety.

[Kahuna]

The plane was directly in front of the chopper, and the chopper pilot was advised and apparently acknowledged air traffic control when they notified them about the plane, so it seems inconceivable that they didn’t see it.
It will all come out eventually, so hopefully that will provide some answers and recommendations that will improve safety.

I read it that the helicopter didn't acknowledge the tower. Will check again later but as you said, facts will unfold in time.

[dedja]

This is the best explanation I’ve found so far as to what happened.

The chopper clearly acknowledged ATC (twice) when they were asked if they saw the plane (that they subsequently crashed into) and take responsibility for visual separation. As Jim suggested, they may have been watching the wrong plane.

https://youtu.be/hfgllf1L9_4?si=oKAP7bsC3LZpaDGU

[Kahuna]

The chopper clearly acknowledged ATC (twice) when they were asked if they saw the plane (that they subsequently crashed into) and take responsibility for visual separation. As Jim suggested, they may have been watching the wrong plane.

OK fair enough, theory sounds reasonable.
Have already seen a conspiracy theory youtube linking the crash to the landing of an Air Force intelligence type aircraft at Andrews air base. The bloke hadn't quite nailed down his theory, just said it was "suspicious".

[dedja]

It’s a very condensed airspace for a small, but extremely busy airport.

US airbase (where Marine One lives) just across the river, plus very close proximity to the White House, Pentagon, and Capitol Hill.

You been there Jim?