Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jo Ellis, a transgender woman, is rumored to have been the pilot of the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in a deadly mid-air collision with an American Airlines plane near Washington, D.C.
The crash, which occurred Wednesday evening, led to the tragic deaths of 67 people, including all three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk and 64 people aboard the American Eagle flight. While Ellis’s identity has gained significant attention on social media, it remains officially unconfirmed by authorities.
Ellis, who served in the Virginia National Guard for 15 years, is reported to have transitioned while serving as a pilot. Some online sources have also suggested that Ellis had been open about her struggles with gender dysphoria and depression, with one report claiming she had written about these issues just one day before the crash. However, these details have not been verified by official military or government sources, and the exact nature of her involvement in the crash remains unclear.
The crash occurred as the Black Hawk, which was on a routine training mission, collided with American Eagle Flight 5342, a regional jet traveling from Wichita, Kansas. The collision took place over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 people aboard both aircraft lost their lives. Recovery efforts continued into Thursday, with at least 40 bodies recovered, though many victims remain unidentified.
Speculation about Ellis’s role in the crash has sparked intense debate, particularly due to her reported history of making anti-Trump statements on social media. President Donald Trump quickly weighed in on the tragedy, raising questions about the role of diversity and inclusion (DEI) programs in federal hiring. Trump, who has been outspoken in his criticism of such programs, suggested that lower hiring standards for air traffic controllers during the Obama and Biden administrations may have contributed to the crash. However, he provided no evidence to support these claims.
Trump also posted his thoughts on Truth Social shortly after the crash, questioning the circumstances surrounding the collision. He noted that the American Airlines flight’s path appeared to be “perfect and routine,” while suggesting that the helicopter had flown directly toward the plane for an extended period. Trump questioned why the Black Hawk didn’t alter its course and why air traffic control didn’t intervene sooner. He implied that the crash seemed preventable, describing the situation as “NOT GOOD!!!”
The latest on the Blackhawk collision with an American Airlines plane.
— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) January 30, 2025
This wasn't an accident. After watching that video...no accident. pic.twitter.com/yhfeEznQzU
The Black Hawk involved in the collision was a Sikorsky H-60 from the U.S. Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion, based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The American Eagle flight, operated by PSA Airlines, was a regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard. A livestream camera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. captured the explosion from the crash around 9 p.m. Wednesday evening.
As of now, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into the causes of the crash. While initial reports have suggested a possible failure in air traffic control procedures, no official conclusions have been made, and investigators have yet to confirm which member of the helicopter crew—whether Ellis, Eaves, or another individual—was in control at the time of the collision.
Although the pilot’s identity remains officially unconfirmed, speculation about Ellis’s involvement has reignited debates over diversity programs in federal hiring, particularly in military and aviation roles. For now, the families of the victims continue to mourn their losses, while the NTSB investigation is expected to provide more details in the coming days.
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