Two of the three soldiers on the Army helicopter that collided with an American Airlines passenger jet over the Potomac River on Wednesday (Jan. 29) have been identified.
One of the bodies that has been recovered so far appears to be that of Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, a 28-year-old Lilburn, Georgia, native who had served in the Army as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot since 2017, the Department of the Army announced today (Friday).
O’Hara “is believed to be deceased pending positive identification,” the Army said.
The Army also identified Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, a 39-year-old helicopter repairer from Great Mills, Maryland. His body and that of the third crew member, whose isn’t being released at the family’s request, have yet to be located.
The helicopter was part of the 12th Aviation Battalion based at the Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir. The crew was engaged in a training mission when they collided with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet that was in the process of landing at Reagan National Airport shortly before 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
American Airlines Flight 5342 had traveled from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. Officials believe everyone died in the crash, though recovery efforts and an investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) remain underway.
“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time,” Army Joint Task Force-National Capital Region Commander Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp said in a statement. “Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the [NTSB], the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident.”
Both O’Hara and Eaves earned a range of honors during their military careers, according to the Army:
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eaves, served in the U.S. Navy from August 2007 to September 2017, then transitioned to a UH-60 pilot for the regular Army from September 2017 to present day. His awards include Army Commendation Medal x3, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal x3, Navy “E” Ribbon x2, Navy Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon and Army Aviator Badge.
Staff Sgt. O’Hara served as a UH-60 helicopter repairer (15T) in the regular Army from July 2014 to present day. He successfully deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017. His awards include Army Commendation Medal w/C Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal x4, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Aviation Badge and Senior Aviation Badge.
On Wednesday morning, O’Hara had texted about receiving a new assignment that would’ve brought him closer to his family in Georgia, his father Gary told the Washington Post. As the helicopter crew chief, he had regularly flown night missions and never expressed concerns.
The last photos that Gary O’Hara has of his son were from a recent trip that Ryan O’Hara took to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, according to the Post.
Eaves’s wife, Carrie, confirmed in a Facebook post that her husband had been on the Blackhawk helicopter, Inside NoVA reported. A Meal Train campaign set up by friends and neighbors in Fort Belvoir has raised $5,200, as of press time, with several people volunteering to help provide food for the Eaves family.
“Flying and serving our country was Andrew’s dream job and passion,” the campaign says. “He had 10 years navy air crew service and 7+ years as a warrant officer flying blackhawks. Amazing father, friend, and spouse, always putting others first.”
Passengers on the American Airlines flight included several members of the figure skating community and three Fairfax County Public Schools students and their parents.
As of last night (Thursday), a total of 41 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River, D.C. Fire and EMS told ARLnow, FFXnow’s sister site.
