Trans Pilot Jo Ellis Refused to be Black Hawk Pilot in deadly collision over the Potomac River

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jo Ellis, a transgender woman, was joked to have been the pilot of the US Army’s black Hawk helicopter involved in a deadly in the middle of the air with an American airline aircraft near Washington, DC

The accident, which took place on Wednesday night, led to the tragic deaths of 67 people, including all three soldiers aboard the black Hauk and 64 people aboard the American eagle flight. While Elli’s identity has received considerable attention to social media, it officially remains the unconfirmed by authorities.

Ellis, who served in Virginia National Guard for 15 years, is reported to have transferred while serving as a pilot. Some online sources have also suggested that Ellis had been open to her battle with gender dysphoria and depression, with a report that claimed she had written about these questions just one day before the crash. However, these details are not verified by official military or sources of government, and the exact nature of her commitment to the crash is still unclear.

It is uncertain whether Ellis was the pilot or co-pilot of the Black Hawk. Another person, Andrew Eaves, has been identified as one of the soldiers aboard the helicopter, but it is not clear whether Eaves flies the aircraft at the time of the collision.

The accident happened when Black Hawk, who was on a routine training mission, collided with American Eagle Flight 5342, a regional jet traveling from Wichita, Kansas. The collision took place across 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 organs recovered, although many victims remain unidentified.

Speculation about Ellis’ role in the crash has given rise to intense debate, especially because of her reported history of submitting anti-Trump statements on social media. President Donald Trump quickly weighed in the tragedy and raised questions about the role of diversity and inclusion (DEI) programs in federal hires. Trump, who has been obvious in his criticism of such programs, suggested that lower employment standards for flight controllers under the Obama and Biden administrations may have contributed to the crash. However, he provided no evidence of supporting these claims.

Trump also published his thoughts on the truth socially shortly after the crash and questioned the circumstances of the collision. He noted that the American Airlines Flight’s path seemed to be “perfect and routine” while suggesting the helicopter had flown directly towards the aircraft for a long period of time. Trump questioned why Black Hawk did not change its course and why air traffic management doesn’t intervene. He suggested that the crash seemed to be preventive and described the situation as “not good !!!”

The Black Hauk, involved in the collision, was a Sikorsky H-60 ​​from the US Army 12. Aviation Battalion, based on Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The US Eagle aircraft operated by PSA Airlines was a regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members on board. A livestream camera in the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC caught the explosion from the crash around 2 p.m. 21 Wednesday night.

Currently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened a study of the causes of the crash. While the original reports have suggested a possible error in air traffic management procedures, no official conclusions have been made and investigators have not yet confirmed which member of the helicopter crew – whether Ellis, Eaves or another person – was in control at the time for the collision.

Although the pilot’s identity stays officially unconfirmed, speculation about Ellis’s engagement has genuinely debates on diversity programs in federal hires, especially in military and aviation roles. Currently, families are continuing to the victims to mourn their losses, while the NTSB study is expected to provide more details in the coming days.