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Famed stunt pilot was talking to air traffic controllers prior to fatal crash

NTSB officials confirmed Friday that aerobatic pilot Rob Holland, who fatally crashed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia on Thursday, was speaking to air traffic controllers before his plane went down. (Credit: WTKR via NNS)

The pilot of the military Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a passenger airplane over Washington, D.C., in January ignored instructions to change course seconds before the crash, according to a new report.

The report, published by the New York Times on Sunday, detailed the Black Hawk's exchanges with air traffic controllers in the lead-up to the disaster, which left 67 people dead.

According to the report, the Black Hawk pilot, Capt. Rebecca Lobach, was conducting her annual flight evaluation and her co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, was serving as her flight instructor.

When air traffic controllers informed the Black Hawk that there was an airliner nearby, Lobach and Eaves acknowledged the message and requested to fly by "visual separation," a common practice that allows aircraft to avoid collisions based on their own observations rather than following instructions from air traffic control.

55 VICTIMS IN WASHINGTON, DC MIDAIR COLLISION PULLED FROM POTOMAC RIVER AS RECOVERY OPERATION CONTINUES

(REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

"The Black Hawk was 15 seconds away from crossing paths with the jet. Warrant Officer Eaves then turned his attention to Captain Lobach. He told her he believed that air traffic control wanted them to turn left, toward the east river bank," the Times wrote.

VP VANCE CALLS ON US ‘TO DO A BETTER JOB’ WITH AVIATION SAFETY AFTER ‘INCREDIBLY HEARTBREAKING’ DC PLANE CRASH

"Turning left would have opened up more space between the helicopter and Flight 5342, which was heading for Runway 33 at an altitude of roughly 300 feet. She did not turn left," the report said.

(Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, served as an aviation officer in the Army beginning in July 2019, and had around 500 hours of flying time in the Black Hawk, the Army said in a release.

Lobach was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Her awards included the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon, according to the Army.

She was also a White House military social aide in the Biden administration.

The third member of the flight crew, along with Lobach and Eaves, was Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara.

(Davis Winkie via X)

The crash instantly caused national scrutiny on air traffic control policies, with Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy opening an investigation.

Duffy announced plans in March to bolster airport air traffic control systems with the latest technology over the next four years, while also using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify "hot spots" where close encounters between aircraft occur frequently.

There have been 85 near-misses or close calls at Reagan National, according to a report from the National Travel Safety Board (NTSB). Close calls were identified as incidents when there are less than 200 feet of vertical separation and 1,500 feet of lateral separation between aircraft.

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"We’re having near-misses, and if we don’t change our way, we’re going to lose lives," Duffy told reporters at the time. "That wasn’t done. Maybe there was a focus on something other than safety, but in this administration, we are focusing on safety."

Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

As both the moderator of a high-level panel session and the Steering Committee Representative for West and Central Africa, Nokoe’s contribution to the international dialogue on youth, governance, and development was widely acclaimed.

Themed “Breaking the Cycle: The Role of Youth in Tackling Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV),” the session brought together leading experts, parliamentarians, and global stakeholders to explore bold solutions for countries facing protracted instability.

Mr Nokoe skilfully moderated a thought-provoking conversation featuring Shubham Chaudhuri, Director of the World Bank Group’s Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group, and Steven Hill, Executive Secretary of the International Institute for Justice and Rule of Law.

Speaking from the unique vantage point of a Ghanaian legislator and youth advocate, Nokoe drew on real-life experiences from Ghana’s Bawku conflict to spark dialogue on the power of youth in conflict transformation.

His contributions highlighted the potential of localised peacebuilding, youth-led initiatives, and cross-border solidarity in sustaining peace across fragile regions of the world.

As the official Steering Committee Representative for West and Central Africa, Nokoe championed the collective voice of young parliamentarians from the region.

He emphasised the need for inclusive governance frameworks, investment in youth development, and stronger representation of African perspectives in global policymaking.

“Our generation is not the future—we are the now. We must therefore harness our influence to shift from reactive to proactive engagement in conflict prevention and inclusive development,” he remarked during his closing comments.

The Global Young MP Initiative continues to grow as a vital platform for knowledge exchange, advocacy, and action among legislators under the age of 45, with Nokoe playing a key leadership role in shaping its direction and amplifying Africa’s voice on the global stage.

Back in the 9th Parliament of Ghana, he is the Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Economy and Development, a member of the Energy Committee, a member of the Public Administration and State Interest Committee, and also one of the leaders of the Young Parliamentarians Forum.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

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Kofi Arko Nokoe

World Bank

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met in Washington with Henry Gale, director of The Petrach Program on Ukraine, co-author of The Zelensky Effect, and Alyssa Iris, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs.

According to Ukrinform, Shmyhal reported this in Telegram.

Video of the day

“We talked about the challenges Ukraine faces, our struggle and resistance,” Shmyhal said.

He thanked Gale for advocating for Ukraine on all academic platforms, as well as for his clear position that Ukraine is a strong independent country that has made its civilizational choice to be with the democratic world.

Russia, the Prime Minister emphasized, invests large resources in spreading propaganda.

“It is necessary to prevent the enemy's attempts, so the role of teachers and scientists is crucial here,” Shmyhal emphasized.

The Prime Minister thanked Gale and Iris for their personal contribution to supporting Ukraine, handed them a symbolic rooster from Borodianka, Kyiv region, and a photo book with the destruction Ukraine has suffered as a result of the Russian invasion.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Ukrainian delegation headed by Shmyhal is on a working visit to Washington. It participated in the opening of the Ukrainian Innovation Days in the US capital.

Read also: Ukraine expects over $39B in budget support this year – Shmyhal

During the visit, Shmyhal, in particular, spoke with students from George Washington University.

On April 23, the Prime Minister met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. The parties discussed economic cooperation and agreed to start working on a free trade area between the two countries.

Photo: Denys Shmyhal, Telegram

The National Weather Service in Washington D.C. has issued an advisory warning of breezy conditions and potential Gale Warnings for the Chesapeake Bay and tidal Potomac. As of the latest update, the D.C. area is experiencing mostly cloudy skies, with a brisk northwest wind at 22 mph, gusting to 32 mph and a temperature standing firmly at 50°F. According to the forecast, the remainder of the day should see a shift towards sunny skies with a high near 72°F and persistent strong winds.

Looking forward, the city can expect a mostly clear night, with northwest winds calming down to a range of 5 to 9 mph before becoming light after midnight. Temperatures are set to drop to a low around 47°F, as indicated by the National Weather Service. The outlook for Monday is promising as well, with sunny conditions and a peak temperature near 76°F, accompanied by a light and variable wind.

Continuing through the week, the weather narrative remains very much akin to a vernal pastiche. The forecast for Tuesday predicts another day bathed in sunlight with temperatures climbing to a high near 85°F, encouraged by a gentle south wind moving at 6 to 10 mph. The warm trend appears persistent, as Tuesday night is projected to be mostly cloudy with a low settling around 66°F.

By midweek, the weather starts to pose a slight challenge in the form of potential showers. Wednesday presents a 30% chance of precipitation later in the day, despite being partly sunny early on and reaching highs near 83°F. As detailed by the National Weather Service, similar conditions will persist into the night, with a 30% chance of showers before the transition to Thursday.

The latter part of the week continues to flirt with rain possibilities, as Thursday has a 40% chance of afternoon showers, despite temperatures hovering about a high of 85°F. At night, again, a 40% chance of rain is expected before conditions clear somewhat towards the weekend. As Friday ushers in, the possibility of showers and thunderstorms increase, peaking at a 50% probability amid a partly sunny sky and a high near 83°F.

In anticipation of possible hazardous weather conditions, the National Weather Service advises caution for the southern parts of the Chesapeake Bay and tidal Potomac River areas. While no additional hazardous weather is expected from Monday through Saturday, the Weather Service's Hazardous Weather Outlook underscores a period of reprieve. "No hazardous weather is expected at this time," the outlook reads, suggesting a brief hiatus from adverse weather for the region. Nevertheless, weather watchers and local citizens should remain alert and abreast of any updates.

Washington, D.C.-Weather & Environment

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Capital Weather GangClimateWeatherEnvironmentClimate Lab

Updated

April 27, 2025 at 6:59 p.m. EDT

Welcome to cwg.live, updated around-the-clock by Capital Weather Gang meteorologists.

Happening now: Winds die out tonight, while temperatures drop from the 60s in the evening to the 40s for lows.

What’s next? Nice day tomorrow with highs in the low to mid-70s, sunshine and little breeze. A solid warming trend continues midweek, with rain chances returning as early as Tuesday night.

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Automated forecast by Foreca

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Key updates

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???? CWG’s latest D.C.-area forecast

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Molly Robey

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A. Camden Walker

Tonight: Clear skies with evening 60s, followed by lows in the 40s. Winds steadily diminish, especially after midnight. Confidence: High

Tomorrow (Monday): High pressure brings blue skies (use that sunscreen!). Highs top out in the low to mid-70s. Breezes are very light, from the northwest in the morning and southwest in the afternoon. Confidence: High ???? Nice Day!

Tomorrow night: Mainly clear and still rain-free. A bit breezier, blowing from the south, by dawn Tuesday. Slightly milder lows near 50 to the mid-50s. Confidence: High

A look ahead

High pressure drifts off the coast on Tuesday, allowing a southerly breeze to bring us increasing warmth and humidity. Highs head for the low to mid-80s with mostly to partly sunny skies. An isolated shower or storm is possible Tuesday evening, then overnight lows should stay in the mid- to upper 60s. Confidence: Medium

Skies turn partly to mostly cloudy Wednesday and Thursday, but we should still see highs near or above 80. A nearby front brings the chance of a few showers and thunderstorms both days, especially during the afternoon or evening. Confidence: Low-Medium

Today’s daily digit — 6/10: The gusty breeze will annoy some of us. But sunshine plus cooler, refreshingly dry air make for decent outdoor play. | ???? Your call?

The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a 0-to-10 scale.

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