The third pilot in the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the Washington DC air crash has been praised as a “bright star in all our lives” by her family.
Her identity was initially withheld in the aftermath of last Wednesday’s disaster, but she was named on Saturday as Captain Rebecca M Lobach from Durham, North Carolina.
Capt Lobach, 28, was one of three soldiers on board the military helicopter when it collided with an American Airlines jet.
She also served as a White House military social aide during the Biden administration.
Sixty-seven people were killed in the catastrophe, which was the deadliest US aviation incident in almost 25 years.
Investigations continue into the cause, with preliminary data giving conflicting information about the altitudes of the two aircraft at the time of the crash.
President Donald Trump said the helicopter was flying “too high”, while also blaming diversity initiatives for undermining air safety.
Tributes after third pilot named
Capt Lobach’s family said they were devastated at the loss and paid tribute to her in a statement released by the military.
They said: “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.”
“Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle.
“But she was as graceful as she was fierce,” they added, referring to her time supporting the president and first lady in hosting White House events in her role as a military social aide.
“Her life was short, but she made a difference in the lives of all who knew her. Our hearts break for the other families who have lost loved ones in this national tragedy and we mourn with them.”
She was pictured alongside President Joe Biden and Ralph Lauren during the awarding of the fashion designer’s Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year.
Her friend Davis Winkie, who was with her in the army before becoming a journalist, praised her as “brilliant and fearless”.
False rumours about transgender Black Hawk pilot
Before Capt Lobach’s identity was confirmed, several right-wing social media accounts falsely claimed a transgender pilot in the Virginia National Guard was flying the helicopter.
Posting a “proof of life” video on social media, Jo Ellis said: “It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They don’t deserve that. I don’t deserve this.
“And I hope that you all know that I am alive and well, and this should be sufficient for you all to end all the rumours.”
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Crash investigation continues
There has been conflicting information about the altitudes of the plane and military helicopter at the time of the crash.
In a news conference, officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that data from the jet’s flight recorder showed its altitude as 325ft, plus or minus 25ft, when the crash happened.
But preliminary data in the air traffic control tower showed the Black Hawk helicopter at 200ft at the time. The discrepancy has yet to be explained.
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NTSB member Todd Inman also revealed that the jet’s flight recorder showed a change in its pitch but did not say whether this meant the pilots were trying to avoid the crash.
The NTSB also said five people were working in the air traffic control tower at the time of the crash, after reports that staffing levels were “not normal”. The NTSB did not comment on whether there was an appropriate number of staff on duty.
