Earlier in this thread, I laid out my well-informed hunch that the pilot in charge was not focused on her duties, enamored with the D.C. lifestyle, and eager to head to medical school.
Some folks here got butt hurt. Well if it looks like a distracted duck flying through congested airspace... its probably a distracted duck
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The helicopter was twice warned by an air traffic controller about the approaching passenger jet, once about two minutes before the collision and again about 90 seconds later, the presentation shows.
Both times, the helicopter said it could see the other plane and requested a “visual separation,” in which they would be allowed to navigate around the jet. A controller approved that.
About 20 seconds before the crash, air traffic control instructed the helicopter to "pass behind" the jet — but that command wasn't heard in the Black Hawk because of a brief audio interruption from their microphone, the cockpit transcript states.
Five seconds after the second warning to watch out for the incoming plane, Eaves, the helicopter instructor, told Lobach, “Alright, kinda come left for me ma’am, I think that’s why he’s asking,” to which she replied, “Sure."
Eaves then said, “We’re kinda out towards the middle,” and Lobach said, “Oh-kay fine," drawing out the okay, according to the transcript.
https://people.com/final-seconds-before-american-airlines-dc-crash-revealed-by-ntsb-11781679