The U.S. Army has identified the third pilot of the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airline CRJ-700 passenger jet on Wednesday as it was on approach to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people.

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one of three soldiers aboard the chopper that crashed into the jet just as it was coming into land.

The Army had initially refused to identify Lobach at the request of her family but the decision to release her name came ‘at the request of and in coordination with the family,’ according to a statement released by the Army.

‘We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives,’ her family said. ‘Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle.’

Lobach had worked as a White House aide during the Biden administration and had served as an aviation officer in the Army from July 2019 until January 2025.

Her family went on to describe her as ‘kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong.’

Lobach had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one of three soldiers aboard the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet as it was landing

The Army had initially refused to identify Lobach at the request of her family but the decision to release her name came ‘at the request of and in coordination with the family,’ according to a statement released by the Army.

No one survived the collision. The remains of 42 people had been pulled from the river by Saturday afternoon, including 38 that had been positively identified, according to Washington emergency officials.

They expect to recover all of the remains, though the wreckage of the plane’s fuselage will probably have to be pulled from the water to get all the bodies, officials said.

On Friday night the helicopter ‘was briefly stabilized with a crane to assist in recovery efforts, however, it has not been removed from the water,’ the Washington Fire and EMS Department said in the Saturday statement.

The collision occurred as an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas carrying 64 passengers was preparing to land just across the Potomac from the nation’s capital, and hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter that flew into the jet’s path.

Army officials have said the helicopter crew was highly experienced, and familiar with the congested skies around the city.

Military aircraft frequently make such flights to practice routes they would use if key government officials need to be evacuated during an attack or major catastrophe.

The two aircraft collided in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways near the airport before it plunged into the river

Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people