The U.S. Army on Friday released the names of two of the three soldiers who were killed Wednesday when their Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Pending identification, Army officials say 28-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara of Lilburn, Georgia has died as well as 39-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves of Great Mills, Maryland whose remains have yet to be recovered. A third soldier’s name is currently being withheld at the request of the family.
Authorities say they believe there are no survivors in the crash that killed 67 people.
The three soldiers were on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that was taking part in a training mission near the airport when it struck American Airlines Flight 5342 over the Potomac River, the Army said. The helicopter was from the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The Department of Defense has said the copter was flown by an experienced crew using night-vision goggles.
Two of the soldiers are among the 41 recovered bodies from the Potomac River, officials said. Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly said 28 of the victims have been positively identified and 18 families have received next-of-kin notifications. Officials said the cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been recovered from the passenger plane and the helicopter’s black box is still being sought.
“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time,” Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commanding general of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region said Friday in a statement. “Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident.”
Pilot Ryan O’Hara described as ‘dedicated, disciplined’
Staff Sgt. Ryan O’Hara was the crew chief on board the helicopter during Wednesday’s crash. He began serving in the Army in 2014 and was deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017, the Army said.
O’Hara, who specialized in UH-60 helicopter repairs is described as a standout soldier who was highly respected, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Josh Muehlendorf told WAGA-TV in Atlanta.
“Ryan was one of the most dedicated, disciplined, and committed soldiers I’ve ever worked with,” said Muehlendorf, who was stationed with O’Hara in Savannah, Georgia in 2020. “He was chiefly concerned with the safety of his crews; the people he was training. He wanted everybody to execute their job with perfection and to come home safely.”
Muehlendorf said he will always remember O’Hara for his military commitment to the military and love for his family.
“As dedicated as he was to the Army, and to the mission, he was really committed to his family,” Muehlendorf said.
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