Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in a collision with a regional passenger jet in Washington DC was flying at an excessive altitude at the time of the incident. His remarks suggested a major revelation regarding the ongoing investigation.
The Army is yet to issue a response to requests for comment. Military helicopters in the US frequently follow a designated route over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, known as Route 4. To ensure safety, these flights are typically restricted to an altitude of no more than 200 feet (61 metres), Reuters reported.
“The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Investigation into altitude issue
Federal transportation authorities are continuing their investigation into the crash. On Thursday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Black Hawk may have experienced an altitude-related issue. He added that Army investigators were already on-site examining the circumstances of the incident.
Despite this, both Hegseth and the Army said that the helicopter’s three-member crew was highly experienced. According to the Army, the instructor pilot, who served as the designated pilot in command, had accumulated 1,000 flight hours, while the second pilot had logged 500 hours.
Crew details and unit
The third crew member, a crew chief, was typically positioned in the rear of the aircraft. The Black Hawk belonged to the 12th Aviation Battalion, stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. This unit manages helicopter operations in the Washington DC area and frequently transports senior US government officials.
