Tragic final message from air traffic control before helicopter crashed into plane killing 67 people

The heartbreaking final message from air traffic control just seconds before a deadly helicopter collision killed 67 people has now been revealed.

Back in January, a US Army helicopter collided with a PSA Airlines jet near Washington DC, in an accident which saw everyone on board both aircraft tragically lose their lives.

The plane was expected to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on 29 January but the collision saw both aircraft crash into the Potomac River.

President Donald Trump tweeted at the time that he felt the crash 'should have been prevented' and a new report from the New York Times has seemingly confirmed that.

The report alleges that pilot Captain Rebecca M. Lobach made two deadly mistakes before the collision.

The 28-year-old was onboard the Black Hawk helicopter with co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, who was acting as her flight instructor, as well as Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28.

Investigators previously suggested that Lobach was flying too high. It's believed that she was also advised by air traffic control to change her direction but for some unknown reason, she failed to do so.

Less than a minute before the crash occurred, the air traffic controller reportedly asked the helicopter if it had spotted American Airlines Flight 5342, which was coming up on Runway 33 where the chopper was approaching.

“PAT two-five, do you have the CRJ in sight?” he asked, using the abbreviation for the model of Flight 5342’s aircraft.

Captain Rebecca Lobach (X)

That proved to be the final communication between the two before the catastrophic collision, which was perhaps one of the worst aviation incidents in the US in recent times.

It is also reported that the helicopter crew likely missed out on some important information from the air traffic controller after accidentally cutting him off when pressing the button to talk over the radio.

The report by The New York Times claims: "The Black Hawk was 15 seconds away from crossing paths with the jet. Warrant Officer Eaves then turned his attention to Captain Lobach.

"He told her he believed that air traffic control wanted them to turn left, toward the east river bank.

"Turning left would have opened up more space between the helicopter and Flight 5342, which was heading for Runway 33 at an altitude of roughly 300 feet. She did not turn left."

All 67 people on board both aircraft lost their lives (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

However, the report said: "There is no indication that [Capt. Rebecca Lobach] was suffering from health issues at the time or that a medical event affected her during those final moments aboard the Black Hawk, according to friends and people familiar with the crash investigation, which included autopsies and performance log reviews."

Lobach had served as an aviation officer since 2019 and had won a number of awards in that time, with over 500 hours of flying experience under her belt.

The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to issue a final report detailing the causes of the crash by early 2026.