Captain Rebecca Lobach is recognized as third Black Hawk pilot who died in collision with American Airlines flight in DC

The U.S. Army has identified the third pilot of the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airline CRJ-700 passenger jet on Wednesday as it was on approach to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people.

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one of three soldiers aboard the chopper that crashed into the jet just as it was coming into land. 

Lobach had worked as a White House aide during the Biden administration and had served as an aviation officer in the Army from July 2019 until January 2025. 

In a statement released through the Army, her family described her as a ‘bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong.’ 

Lobach had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one of three soldiers aboard the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet as it was landing

The two aircraft collided in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways near the airport before it plunged into the river

Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people