This decision by the US Army to withhold the name of the third member of the Black Hawk helicopter crew involved in the Reagan air disaster was never going to last. It’s the worst aviation accident in years. All 67 individuals involved perished—and the Army's initial refusal to release the name led to conspiracy theories and incidents of misidentification.
There’s a balance between privacy and transparency—I get it. The family needed time to mourn, but the Army refusing to release the female pilot’s name was never a sustainable position. They finally caved and released her name tonight: Capt. Rebecca Lobach (via NY Post):
NEWS: After privately grieving, Capt. Rebecca Lobach's family recognized that waiting to release her name was feeding narratives that distracted from the incredible person and pilot that Rebecca was, a person familiar with the family’s decision told @Militarydotcom.
— Thomas Novelly (@TomNovelly) February 1, 2025
Story TK:
Army releases name of co-pilot of Blackhawk helicopter: Captain Rebecca Lobach, a star ROTC student who graduated from UNC with top honors and wanted to attend medical school after her Army service. She had 500 hours of flying time, about 250 flights, considered on the high end… pic.twitter.com/NmFtS47vWk
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) February 1, 2025
BREAKING: The third person inside of the Black Hawk #helicopter involved in the DC crash has been identified as North Carolina native Rebecca Lobach. She went to UNC Chapel Hill and went through ROTC there. Friends say she was “golden,” and a true patriot. Details on @wncn pic.twitter.com/FNV9PuQPyF
— Deana Harley (@Deanaharleynews) February 1, 2025
.@USARMY releases the name of the third Black Hawk crew member in this week’s devastating collision with the American Airlines Jet: Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina. And a rare, heartbroken statement from her family. pic.twitter.com/cLCu1sW87v
— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) February 1, 2025
Recommended
One of three soldiers aboard the Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an AA flight at Reagan airport has now been identified as Captain Rebecca Lobach, an aviation officer assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion who had worked as a social aide in the Biden White House. pic.twitter.com/CKisyOTf3h
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) February 1, 2025
U.S. Army releases the name of the other Black Hawk pilot killed in the mid-air collision over the Potomac:
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 1, 2025
Captain Rebecca M. Lobach from Durham, N.C.
The U.S. Army has identified the female soldier in the doomed Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into an American Airlines flight this week, killing 67 people.
Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and has served since July 2019, the Army said in a statement.
The Army had initially refused to identify Lobach at the request of her family.
The decision to release her name came “at the request of and in coordination with the family,” according to the statement.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives,” her family said in a statement released by the Army.
“Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle … Rebecca was many things. She was a daughter, sister, partner, and friend. She was a servant, a caregiver, an advocate. Most of all she loved and was loved. Her life was short, but she made a difference in the lives of all who knew her.”
Lobach was a decorated service member, whose accolades include the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. According to her family, she graduated within the top 20% of ROTC cadets nationwide.
Lobach also served as a White House social aide during the Biden administration. Last month, she escorted Ralph Lauren through the White House when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, according to CBS.
Lobach, along with Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed mid-air with an American Airlines flight from Kansas coming in on approach at Reagan on January 29 around 9 PM.
NEW: President Trump is questioning the situation surrounding the Black Hawk’s collision with the American Airlines flight as new footage is released.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 31, 2025
In a post on Truth, Trump appeared to disclose that the pilot was flying above the 200 foot limit.
“The Blackhawk helicopter… pic.twitter.com/6HqEVLLeDU
The crash rehashed the concerns around Reagan National, specifically the air congestion and low-altitude helicopter flights. Helicopters and commercial airlines fly routes where the chances of crashes are high. There are numerous close calls at the airport. Following this crash, low-altitude helicopter flights around DCA have been indefinitely suspended.
This crew likely focused on the wrong airplane during their flight. The chopper also might have been on the wrong flight path.
My update on the crashes near Reagan National Airport and in Philadelphia: pic.twitter.com/WZgDtcuHJ4
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 1, 2025
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