Hegseth Calls Deadly Air Collision an ‘Unacceptable’ Mistake

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in his first week on the job, on Thursday called the deadly crash by Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport “a mistake” that was related to “some sort of elevation issue.”

The crew of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the commercial jet was on a routine annual re-training of night flights “on a standard corridor for a continuity of government mission,” Hegseth said, appearing in a press conference with President Donald Trump.

Hegseth disclosed that a captain, a staff sergeant, and a chief warrant officer 2 were in the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. ...