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Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills in St. Mary's County, was aboard the helicopter when it crashed around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29 during a training mission, according to the US Army.
The Black Hawk, assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, collided with American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet.
Eaves had an extensive military career, serving in the US Navy from 2007 to 2017 before transitioning to the US Army as a UH-60 pilot until the crash.
His service awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, among others.
He is survived by his wife, Carrie, and their children.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the NTSB, FAA, and the Army.
Eaves’ remains have not yet been recovered and he is currently classified as duty status – whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN) as recovery efforts continue.
A second soldier, Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, is believed to be deceased pending positive identification.
The name of the third soldier has not been released at the request of the family, though that pilot is also considered DUSTWUN.
“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time,” said Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander of Joint Task Force – National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington.
"Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the NYSB, FAA, and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident."
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
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