Army Withholds Identity of Helicopter Pilot Killed in Crash

The Army on Friday released the names of two male aviators who were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet on Wednesday night. But in an extraordinary step, the Army did not identify the third crew member, a female pilot, citing her family’s request for privacy.

The names of service members killed during a peacetime accident or in combat zones are typically made public about 24 hours after their relatives have been notified.

“At the request of the family, the name of the third soldier will not be released at this time. That pilot is also DUSTWUN,” the Army said in a statement in a reference to “duty status-whereabouts unknown,” a temporary designation until her remains are recovered from the river where the aircraft went down.

It is unclear what specifically motivated the aviator’s family to make the request. But it comes as President Trump, before the completion of the investigation, has blamed the Black Hawk helicopter crew for the midair disaster that killed 67 people.

In a social media post on Friday morning, Mr. Trump wrote: “The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???”

Four people briefed on the matter told The New York Times on Thursday that the Army helicopter appeared to have been flying too high and outside its approved path when it collided with the passenger jet. The air traffic control tower had given the helicopter pilot permission to fly no higher than 200 feet, said the people, who were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly.

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