In 1754, author Hugh Walpole coined the term serendipity to mean a fortunate circumstance or meeting. Whatever the contrary term may be, we saw it unfold on January 29th in Washington, when a Black Hawk helicopter plowed into a commercial plane returning from Wichita, destroying both aircraft in a fireball. There were no survivors, either of the three military personnel aboard the chopper, nor of the 60 passengers and 4 crew members on the aircraft. It’s the worst civilian air disaster since September 11, 2001, and the first one in 16 years.
The causes are complex, and will unfold as the investigation continues. Faults there likely were, more clearly seen in retrospect, than foresight. Would that either aircraft had been – serendipitously – a moment earlier or later.
It’s difficult to speak of good coming from this, but we may hope that whatever failures there were, systemic, deliberate or otherwise, will be rectified. There have apparently been any number of near misses in the past year, or more – how close have thousands come to such a sudden and unexpected death? We all live on the very brink of eternity. Vigilate.
For now, we pray for the souls of the deceased, and for their families and loved ones. Requiescant in pace, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Miserere nobis, Domine.