The names of the two pilots and two flight attendants on duty during the tragic American Airlines Flight 5342
accident on Wednesday evening have been released. More details are emerging about the midair collision which led to the presumed deaths of 67 people, including 64 people onboard the PSA Airlines
Bombardier CRJ700 and three active service members manning the US Army Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter.
AA Flight 5342 crew details revealed
The four crew members onboard the American Eagle (operated by PSA Airlines) flight from Wichita (ICT) to Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) have been named as:
- Jonathan Campos, 34 – Captain
- Samuel Lilley, 28 – First Officer
- Ian Epstein, 53 – Flight Attendant
- Danasia Elder, 34 – Flight Attendant
The father of first officer Sam Lilley spoke to FOX 5 Atlanta, saying the tragedy was “undoubtedly the worst day of my life.” Timothy Lilley, a former US Army helicopter pilot for 20 years, is closely familiar with piloting helicopters around the DC area and believes the military chopper made a critical mistake. He commented,
“From what I can see, those guys turned right into the jet. I think the PSA jet was doing everything right. The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead.”
Lilley also suggested that the helicopter pilot’s night vision goggles could have contributed to the collision by making it more difficult to spot the incoming commercial jet, adding that “if you’re not wearing the goggles, then you might have a chance.” According to Lilley, his son was also set to get married later this year.
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American Airlines Flight 5342 Crash: Everything We Know So Far
Authorities believe there are no survivors after last night’s midair collision.
Details about other victims onboard the aircraft have also emerged. This includes several members of the figure skating community returning from the US Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp in Wichita, including Russian coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, as well as rising stars Spencer Lane and Jinna Han and their respective mothers.
A difficult operational environment
As reported by Aerospace America, Todd Inman from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has noted that DC airspace is a “unique environment” for flying. Pilots have consistently rated DCA as one of the most difficult airports in the US due to its “narrow and restricted corridor for take-offs and landings,” not to mention the heavy congestion and frequent presence of helicopters.
Photo: RaksyBH | Shutterstock
The Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision was on a routine night training flight. Audio communications between the chopper and tower show that the Black Hawk was asked if it has the CRJ700 in sight, but may have mistaken this to mean a different aircraft departing DCA at the same time.
The investigation continues
The NTSB is continuing its investigation into the accident with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A preliminary report from the FAA states that air traffic control (ATC) staffing that evening was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.”
Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock
Apparently, the tower had just a single controller active at the time of the crash who was managing the workload of two people. Additionally, news has emerged of another near-miss with a helicopter just 24 hours before Wednesday’s crash, along with several other close calls over the years.
DCA, like many other US airports, has experienced severe shortages in ATC staff in recent years. As of September 2023, the airport had filled only 19 of 30 positions for controllers, although it claims to have achieved 85% staffing levels more recently.
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ATC Staffing Was Reportedly “Not Normal” During American Eagle CRJ700 Crash
Without evidence, President Trump claimed that the FAA’s diversity initiatives may have contributed to the collision.
