(QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Thursday marks one year since the devastating midair collision over the Potomac River that took 67 lives, including four crew members based in Charlotte.
American Airlines Flight 5342 was just moments from landing in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2025, when it collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter during a nighttime training flight. There were no survivors.
Responders recall a mission of recovery and grief a year after the midair collision near DC
Among those lost were Captain Jonathan Campos, First Officer Samuel “Sam” Lilley, and flight attendants Ian Epstein and Danasia Elder, all part of PSA Airlines’ Charlotte-based crew.
The crash remains the deadliest aviation disaster on U.S. soil in more than two decades.
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Divers worked for days in cold, dark water, navigating debris, jet fuel, and wreckage to recover victims and bring them home to their families. There were no rescues, only recovery, a painful task that stretched on for nearly a week, followed by months of searching the river for personal belongings.
Campos, 34, had dreamed of flying since he was a child and had recently been planning a family cruise. Lilley, engaged to be married, was known for his deep care for others and his passion for aviation. Epstein, a former career-changer, was beloved for his humor and calm presence on flights, leaving behind his wife of 23 years and two children. Elder was remembered by colleagues as dedicated and kind.
Charlotte was also connected to the tragedy through passenger Wendy Jo Shaffer, a wife and mother of two who was returning from a business trip. Her family described her as the heart of their lives…