The crew chief of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines plane on Wednesday is being mourned by his high school in Lilburn, Georgia.
Ryan O'Hara was killed when his military helicopter collided with a passenger plane that was making a descent into Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., just before 9 p.m. EST Wednesday. Parkview High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC released a statement confirming that O'Hara was one of their own. O'Hara was part of the 2014 class of the JROTC.
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our own," read a social media post from Parkview's ROTC. "Class of 2014, former cadet Ryan O’Hara was the Crew Chief on the Black Hawk involved in last nights crash in DC. Our deepest condolences go out to Gary O'Hara and his entire family. Ryan is fondly remembered as a guy who would fix things around the ROTC gym as well as a vital member of the Rifle Team. Ryan leaves behind a wife and 1 year old son," Parkview ROTC said in a Facebook post that has since been removed.
Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, told Atlanta First News that the crew on board the helicopter was "very experienced" and was not new to the rigors of flying in the congested area along the Potomac River.
"Both pilots had flown this specific route before at night. This wasn't something new to either one of them," Koziol said.
All three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk helicopter were killed in the collision in addition to the 64 people aboard the American Airlines jet. The accident is the worst U.S. aviation disaster in over two decades, officials said Thursday.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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