More people murdered by pilot at the controls of a plane than by mass shooters

[philip964]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... gests.html

I did this analysis one time and it is true. More mass shootings than intentional crashing of planes, but the number of people on planes makes up the difference by more.

We add one more with this China flight.

[howdy]

There are about 160,000 flights A DAY in the world with a large percentage of those here in the US. A major US airline has not had a fatal crash in the US since 2001. Medical errors in the US kill an estimated 250,000 people every year (690 a day). Suicidal Pilots on US carriers are not a problem.

[philip964]

There are 400,000,000 guns in America. Only 0.0000003% of them were used in a murder in the US last year.

[srothstein]

There are 400,000,000 guns in America. Only 0.0000003% of them were used in a murder in the US last year.

I believe you have overestimated the percentage of guns used in murders because you did not account for all the times one gun is used to shoot two, three, or more people.

While this is a valid point on statistical analysis, I will add (with my tongue firmly iin my cheek) that we all know mass murders are the most common thing going on these days because the media tells us this. So it must be an order of magnitude off based on that.

[philip964]

After watching the video of the collision of the passenger aircraft on approach and the Army helicopter yesterday in Washington, I can see no other explanation than the helicopter pilot wanted to commit suicide.

[carlson1]

After watching the video of the collision of the passenger aircraft on approach and the Army helicopter yesterday in Washington, I can see no other explanation than the helicopter pilot wanted to commit suicide.

Flying with night vision and not by instruments he could have been confused with all of the lights they were facing. I am not a pilot, but I hope there is a report and answer given in months to come.

[rtschl]

After watching the video of the collision of the passenger aircraft on approach and the Army helicopter yesterday in Washington, I can see no other explanation than the helicopter pilot wanted to commit suicide.

I don't think so, not with a crew of 3 on board - it's different than being in a plane cockpit. I think it was a perfect storm of events, but we don't know yet. Questions I have: Was the ATC Tower properly manned and did ATC make a mistake on the instructions for the plane? Some reports are the runway was changed for plane at the last minute. Every question is on the table - including the helicopter flying VFR, which apparently is common in this airspace. Weather was clear so VFR is apparently standard for helicopters in this traffic pattern. But should it be since it is one of the busiest air spaces in the world?

I have seen more than one helicopter pilot make similar comments as below pilot. The video I watched last night of it is much further away and a different angle, I was watching the wrong plane the first time I saw the video.

Army helicopter pilot here. Based on what we’ve seen so far, my guess is the PAT Blackhawk helicopter pilots confirmed visual on the wrong aircraft and likely never even saw the aircraft they crashed into.
https://x.com/AmberSmithUSA/status/1884841236730978496

[chasfm11]

I'll add to the thread drift to say that a video I saw last night (cannot find the link this morning) was done by a pilot or at least he was in a pilot's uniform. The bottom line was that the helicopter pilot asked for and was granted "visual separation" which meant that he had eyeballs on the plane that was landing but he was actually watching a plane that was further out in the landing pattern and not the one that closest to him that he actually hit. The case is easy to make that ATC should have been the 2nd set of eyes in that matter, especially given the volume of traffic involved but was understaffed with one controller working two jobs.

Unconfirmed news this morning is that 1,000s of ATC applicants were turned away because they had the wrong skin color. So where does "death by government intent" show up compared to mass shooters?

[Paladin]

FAA still short about 3,000 air traffic controllers (May 2024)

The current understaffing means controllers at many facilities are regularly working overtime to cover gaps.

The air traffic controllers have been understaffed for many years now. And they received this notice late Tuesday: OPM’s ‘Fork in the Road’ Email to Federal Workers

Their departure will impact implementation of federal programs that benefit ordinary Americans. Flights will be delayed as air traffic controllers resign.

[philip964]

I have been told that my suicide position was incorrect.

The video I watched shows the airliner coming at the camera head ion so it appears motionless, where in fact it is moving at 150 mph. Thus the situation is much more complex.

The lights of the city make it very difficult to spot another aircraft’s lights.

Finally all three crew members are not looking outside but are looking at all the guages dials and radios inside the cockpit.

It seems to me that the anpproach area at the end of a busy airports runway at night is a very bad place for an Army helicopter to be flying a training mission.

Here is a video that somewhat shows my suicide position.

https://x.com/citizenfreepres/status/18 ... 09075?s=46

All were wearing night vision goggles.

https://nypost.com/2025/01/30/us-news/s ... air-crash/

Another video view showing the suicide position.

[Grayling813]

FAA still short about 3,000 air traffic controllers (May 2024)

The current understaffing means controllers at many facilities are regularly working overtime to cover gaps.

The air traffic controllers have been understaffed for many years now. And they received this notice late Tuesday: OPM’s ‘Fork in the Road’ Email to Federal Workers

Their departure will impact implementation of federal programs that benefit ordinary Americans. Flights will be delayed as air traffic controllers resign.

The OPM notice should only apply to those workers who have been "working from home" for the past several years. Air traffic controllers should not be affected.
Just more anti-Trump swamp dwellers making everything Trump does to be the worst thing ever.

[Grayling813]

Why Are So Many Helicopters Flying Around a Busy Airport in the Middle of Washington DC?
https://steelcutter.substack.com/p/why- ... ers-flying

Interesting read.

[philip964]

FAA still short about 3,000 air traffic controllers (May 2024)

The current understaffing means controllers at many facilities are regularly working overtime to cover gaps.

The air traffic controllers have been understaffed for many years now. And they received this notice late Tuesday: OPM’s ‘Fork in the Road’ Email to Federal Workers

Their departure will impact implementation of federal programs that benefit ordinary Americans. Flights will be delayed as air traffic controllers resign.

The OPM notice should only apply to those workers who have been "working from home" for the past several years. Air traffic controllers should not be affected.
Just more anti-Trump swamp dwellers making everything Trump does to be the worst thing ever.

Understaffing is due to not hiring qualified people who are the wrong sex or color.

[oohrah]

I am with the Army pilot's assessment. I am dual rated and familiar with both fixed wing and rotary wing ops. Considering the visibility at the time, the helo should have seen the airliner. However, night time adds a wrinkle - there are many optical illusions and other distracting lights, especially in that airspace. The fact that they were wearing NVGs compounds the issue.

The arguments about the tower being undermanned are irrelevant. A control tower does not provide separation in VFR airspace. Once the helo pilot reported the traffic in sight (even if in error), the tower is relieved of any responsibility by regulation.

My big takeaway - this is not the appropriate environment to be doing NVG training.

[Grayling813]

The question remains why did the helicopter pilot suddenly exceed the 200 foot ceiling into the airplane’s space?