The third and final member of the Black Hawk crew has been identified in the devastating midair collision with American Airlines flight 5342 last week. Cpt. Rebecca Lobach, a 28-year-old from Durham, North Carolina, was identified as the third victim of the crew. Lobach was a distinguished graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The collision above the Potomac River left no survivors, killing all 64 passengers aboard the American Airlines flight and all crew members of the Black Hawk. The crash has been one of the most devastating aviation disasters in decades, raising questions and concerns as to what led to the collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Lobach was reportedly commissioned in 2019 as an active-duty aviation officer with over 500 hours of flight time, which is reportedly considered normal. The other crew members onboard the Black Hawk were Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, and crew member Staff Sergeant Ryan O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia.
The Lobach family released a statement honoring their daughter. “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca,” they said in a prepared statement. “She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”
Reports have also circulated online indicating that Lobach worked under the Biden administration as a social aide. Media freelancer Andrew Leyden shared photos of Lobach escorting Ralph Lauren to a recent event. He wrote on X, “CPT. Rebecca Lobach of Durham, N.C. has been identified as the 3rd victim in the Blackhawk – American Airlines collision in Washington, D.C. Last month she was also a White House social aide escorting Ralph Lauren to an event, and I managed to take a few photos.”
The American Tribune recently reported on Staff Sgt. O’Hara being identified as the crew chief of the Black Hawk. His father, Gary, noted that the crew his son flew with was “probably the most respected pilots that Ryan had ever flown with.” Gary added, “He trusted them with his life.” O’Hara’s family watched the tragedy unfold on the news.
“It’s very touching to see the other soldiers saluting as they take him out with a draped flag over it,” Gary said. “But to sit there and think that that’s my little boy — it’s crushing.” However, the father dispelled the notion that anybody onboard the military craft was unqualified. “You have to earn your spot to be moved into the ladder to be put into that helicopter. They don’t just give it to you. You earn it,” he said. “And you know, all of those soldiers that protect us, they earn their stripes every single day.”
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President Donald Trump released a statement on the disaster offering his thoughts and prayers. “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise,” he said. Vice President JD Vance posted on X, “Please say a prayer for everyone involved in the mid-air collision near Reagan airport this evening. We’re monitoring the situation, but for now let’s hope for the best.”
Listen to air traffic control audio of the crash below: