On January 29, 2025, a mid-air collision occurred between an American Airlines flight and a US Army Blackhawk helicopter near Washington DC. The crash, which resulted in the deaths of all 64 passengers aboard the plane and three personnel on the helicopter, took place near Ronald Reagan National Airport. The US Army identified two of the three soldiers onboard the helicopter: Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, from Georgia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, from Maryland. Eaves’ remains have not been recovered, and his status is “duty status-whereabouts unknown.” The identity of the third soldier has not been released at the family’s request. The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), FAA, and US Army. The Army has expressed condolences to the families and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
