The Blackhawk collision incident which occurred on January 29th, involved a three-member crew aboard the helicopter, which belonged to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield, located in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The aircraft reportedly collided midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, operating as Flight 5342, at the airport. Investigations are currently underway.
Pending positive identification, Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, aged 28 from Lilburn, Georgia, is presumed deceased.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, residing in Great Mills, Maryland, remains unaccounted for; his status has been classified as Duty Status-Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN).
Due to family requests, the identity of the third Soldier on board will not be disclosed at this time. This individual also holds a DUSTWUN status.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eaves had a noteworthy military career, serving in the U.S. Navy from August 2007 until September 2017 before becoming a UH-60 pilot in the regular Army, a role he had maintained since.
Staff Sgt. O’Hara dedicated his service as a UH-60 helicopter repairer in the regular Army since July 2014, having successfully deployed to Afghanistan between March and August 2017.
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