It seems like the skies above Washington, D.C., got a little too crowded the other night. While most of us were settling down for a cozy evening, an unfortunate clash occurred between a Blackhawk helicopter and a regional jet—not exactly a scene you’d expect, unless you fancy watching action movies. When aircraft collide, you know there’s either a severe lack of communication or someone fell asleep at the controls. Spoiler alert: it’s usually a bit of both!

So, what happened? According to our armchair pilots and self-proclaimed experts (who, let’s face it, we probably should be listening to), the Blackhawk took off without having a proper crew on board. Yes, you read that right. They were missing a crew chief on one side of the helicopter! It’s like going for a road trip without a designated driver. Safety first, folks—unless you’re in the military, where, apparently, ‘let’s wing it’ seems to be the motto.

You see, aircraft aren’t just flying metal tubes—we’re talking about intricate machines with lots of moving parts and human brains that need to be engaged. The crew chief’s job is primarily to look out for trouble. It’s the “Hey, look out for that airplane” position. But in this little mishap, that responsibility was left to the pilot, who apparently decided that focusing on traffic was overrated. They claim they saw traffic. Well, maybe they did—just not the one that ended up in their blind spot!

In the midst of this aerial game of chicken, the air traffic control tower was like that classic character who inexplicably remains calm while chaos unfolds around them. They had the perfect opportunity to shout, “Hey, look to your left!” but the most animated response was, “Oh!” Not exactly the kind of urgency you want to hear when it comes to an impending collision. It’s almost as if the controllers were on autopilot themselves—playing a game of ‘let’s see what happens’ rather than providing real-time guidance.

Now, here’s the kicker: Most people are pointing fingers in the usual direction—the helicopter pilot, the crew, and poor air traffic control—but what about the higher-ups? The unit commander in charge allowed this flight to take off short-staffed. Talk about a questionable decision! If they made a call that compromised safety for whatever reason (like a ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ hire, potentially), they should be held accountable. At the end of the day, it’s crucial to prioritize competence over all the buzzwords that keep getting thrown around nowadays.

In summary, as we unpack this incident, it’s plain to see there’s plenty of blame to go around. The crew needed a second set of eyes, the air traffic controllers could have been a little more encouraging, and the unit commander should probably revisit their checklist before allowing any flights. Perhaps next time, the priorities should be ‘safety first’ and ‘no cutting corners’. But if there’s anything this unfortunate incident reminds us, it’s that flying high means keeping your heads—and your crew—on straight!