The deadliest plane crash in the U.S. in nearly a quarter century, the mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan airport in Washington D.C. resulted in the deaths of 67 people; Among the deceased were olympic-promising teenagers Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, and the 1994 pairs world champions of figure skating from Russia Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumo, as well as nine olympic hopeful figure skaters, and many of their friends and family. On the helicopter were two Army pilots and there was also helicopter repairman Ryan O’Hara who left behind an 18-month old son on January 29.

The incident has people asking how such a horrible incident could happen after so many years of safety, and it has many others offering their opinions on exactly that.

During President Trump’s press conference the next day, according to an AP News article from January 30,

“‘[Trump] spent most of his time casting political blame, lashing out at former President Joe Biden’s administration and diversity efforts at the Federal Aviation Administration, saying they had led to slipping standards[…] Without evidence, [Trump] […] claimed that the FAA was “actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative.’”

Trump began his press conference calling for an “hour of anguish” and then could not help but use the time to rail against political enemies without citing evidence. Furthermore, the requirements to be an air traffic controller (ATC) are extremely rigorous. According to the FAA website to be an ATC one cannot have or have had a neurological disorder. Furthermore, they are not allowed to have or have had any kind of psychosis, neurosis, substance dependence, or a personality or mental disorder which could clearly impede their ability to perform. All ATCs must undergo an annual revaluation as well.

Next, according to an article from Newsweek, billionaire Bill Ackman suggested in a now-deleted post on X that it may have been terrorism:

“How does an incredibly maneuverable military helicopter fly into a regional aircraft by accident with all of the sensors and warning devices designed to prevent an accident like this one? It sounds more like terrorism than an accident. Perhaps an expert on Blackhawks can weigh in here,” he wrote.”

Moreover, Reddit users have proposed that it was a targeted attack on the helicopter, and in the words of the Economic Times:

“Reddit users questioned whether the helicopter had been transporting a VIP passenger, pointing out that it had a gold top—a marker often associated with aircraft used for high-ranking officials.”

In all fairness, they were not the only ones to consider the possibility due to the suddenness of the crash and the seeming improbability of two aircraft colliding on a day like any other, and at least they could cite some evidence such as the gold top on the blackhawk. However, the Army has said that there were no VIP’s onboard the helicopter and there is no evidence from the wreckage to support the theory either. The speculation is not surprising nor is it unwarranted, although it may have been premature.

Finally, on February 14 NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy appeared at a press conference to give an investigative update on the D.C. crash. An NBC article also from February 14 summarizing the conference stated:

“She[Homendy] said the words “circling” could be heard on air traffic control communications but not on the helicopter’s cockpit voice recorder. The agency is investigating how that happened.[…] Seconds before the crash, the air traffic control tower had asked the Black Hawk whether it had the airplane in sight and advised it to directly pass behind the jet, audio from the tower shows.”

Currently, errors with communication equipment appear to be the most likely cause however it is important to remember that this is still preliminary information and is subject to change. NTSB is still retrieving data and this remains an ongoing investigation.

Despite the accident and other surprising accidents that happened soon after such as those in Philadelphia and Toronto, a CNN article from February 19 states:

“It appears that last month there was a record low number of airplane accidents nationwide, when combining private and commercial airline flights. Most of the 62 total airplane accidents were on private flights, and that total number was 18 less than the 80 recorded in January 2024.”

While these accidents are out of the ordinary, especially for commercial flights, it is important to remember that air travel remains the safest mode of transportation with the chance of death being called incalculable by some experts due to such a limited sample size. Air travel has only gotten safer and while these are unusual accidents, it is also likely that there is an extent of over-reporting since the January 29 crash.

How these accidents happen is extremely important, especially in improving future air safety, however it is not the most important aspect to remember. These accidents kill people and knowing how can prevent that in the future, but oftentimes people forget that there are families and friends of these people who are in mourning, but there are also many who appear to offer condolences. The Olympics is holding a tribute event in D.C. called ‘Legacy on Ice’ which will be co-hosted by two Olympic figure skating champions and feature performances from five others, and hundreds have appeared in the comments of the deceased Spencer Lanes’s Instagram post to offer benedictions. In times of tragedy we must come together as a community and support the people affected as best we can.