
The U.S. Army has identified Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 26, of Durham, North Carolina, as the third soldier killed in a tragic helicopter-jet collision near Reagan National Airport. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, claimed the lives of three Army personnel aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and all 64 individuals aboard the American Airlines passenger jet.
Lobach, an Army aviation officer, was a highly skilled pilot with over 450 flight hours and had earned a reputation for excellence. She was a distinguished military graduate from the University of North Carolina’s ROTC program, ranking in the top 20% of cadets nationwide. Her accolades included the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.
In a statement, her grieving family expressed their pride in her achievements and her unwavering dedication to service. “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. 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,” they said, requesting privacy during this difficult time.
The Army previously released the names of the other two fallen soldiers: Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, who served as the crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, who was also a pilot.
Investigation Underway Amid Controversy
The deadly midair collision has sparked significant scrutiny. The Black Hawk helicopter, part of the 12th Aviation Battalion, was conducting a routine training mission. The unit specializes in the emergency evacuation of high-ranking U.S. officials to secure locations in case of national crises.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the crash, blaming the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude. He also criticized an FAA diversity hiring initiative, particularly regarding air traffic controllers, claiming it compromised flight safety. However, no evidence has been presented to support this claim, and investigators have yet to determine the cause of the collision.
The incident is now considered the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. since the November 12, 2001, crash of an American Airlines jet in Queens, New York, which killed 260 people on board and five on the ground.
Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.
Sources By Agencies