Fri Jan 31 14:13:56 UTC 2025: **67 Dead in Mid-Air Collision Near Washington D.C.**
Washington, D.C. – A catastrophic midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter has claimed the lives of all 67 people on board, marking the deadliest aviation accident in the U.S. since 2001. The incident occurred Wednesday evening as American Eagle Flight 5342, en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, was preparing to land. The aircraft collided with the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter near the Potomac River.
The crash occurred shortly after air traffic control instructed the American Airlines plane to switch runways, and moments before a controller asked the helicopter if it had the plane in sight. Emergency services responded swiftly, but Chief John Donnelly of the Washington, D.C. Fire Department confirmed there were no survivors. Recovery efforts are currently underway.
Among the victims are prominent members of the figure skating community, including renowned Russian coaches, and several young skaters and their family members. At least 14 individuals affiliated with the figure skating community were returning from a national development camp in Wichita. The confirmed figure skating victims include:
* Jinna Han (13) and her mother, Jin Han
* Spencer Lane (16) and his mother, Christine Lane
* Russian world champion pair, Naumov (55) and Shishkova (52)
* Coach Kirsanov (46)
* Young skaters Kay and Yang (ages unknown)
* 12-year-old figure skater Ter
The pilots of the American Airlines flight, Captain Jonathan Campos and First Officer (name withheld), also perished. Other identified victims include flight attendant, Epstein, and consultant, Hussain Raza.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a full-scale investigation, recovering the plane’s “black boxes” which contain flight data and cockpit voice recordings. Early reports suggest a potential air traffic controller shortage may have played a role in the accident, with one controller managing both air and ground traffic at the time of the incident. The NTSB will form working groups to investigate various aspects, including operations, power systems, structures, survival factors, and air traffic control. The investigation is expected to take one to two years.
The incident has prompted widespread grief and condolences, with statements issued by the Kremlin and various skating organizations. The full extent of the tragedy is still unfolding as authorities work to identify and notify all next of kin.
First Piper 