What we know about the people who died in the D.C. plane crash

Yahoo

05-02-2025

The remains of all 67 victims in the Washington, D.C., plane crash have been recovered as of Tuesday, nearly a week after an American Eagle flight out of Wichita, Kansas, collided with a Black Hawk helicopter midair.
There were no survivors in the crash. Although some politicians have been quick to point fingers, authorities are still working to determine the cause of what was the deadliest aviation crash in the U.S. in more than two decades.
Officials said all but one of the 67 victims have been identified so far. Here's who some of them are:
Some of the youngest victims in the crash were elite figure skaters who were returning from a training camp in Wichita with their parents and their coaches:
Angela Yang, 11, and Sean Kay, 11, were skating partners. Their mothers, Zheheng 'Lily' Li, 50, and Yulia Kay, 42, also died in the crash.
Alydia Livingston, 11, and her sister Everly Livingston, 14, shared a skating Instagram account where they posted photos of their practice sessions and their wins. Their parents, Donna and Peter Livingston, both 48, had accompanied them on the trip.
Olivia Eve Ter, 12, was a talented figure skater who was making significant gains in the sport, according to U.S. Figure Skating. Her mother, Olesya Taylor, 50, was also on the flight.
Brielle Beyer, 12, was an 'extraordinary talent,' her coach Kalle Strid told The New York Times. Her mother, Justyna Magdalena Beyer, 42, was on the plane with her.
Franco Aparicio, 14, was a bright young figure skating star, his coach Sergey Korovin told NBC Washington. His father, Luciano Aparicio, was supportive of his passion, Korovin added. Both father and son died in the crash.
Jinna Han, 13, was a 'star skater,' her coach, Olga Ganicheva, told NBC Boston. 'Her nickname was 'Jinna Starina,' like a star,' she said. Jinna's mother, Jin Han, 49, was also on the plane.
Edward Zhou, 16, was described by U.S. Figure Skating as a fearless athlete and a team player. His parents, Kaiyan Mao, 52, and Yu Zhou, 60, also died in the crash.
Cory Haynos, 16, was the intermediate bronze medalist at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final, according to U.S. Figure Skating. His parents, Roger and Stephanie Haynos, both 56, accompanied him on the trip to Kansas.
Spencer Lane, 16, an adoptee from South Korea, was a beloved member of the figure skating community in Rhode Island, Douglas Lane, his father, told WPRI. His mother, Christine Lane, 49, was also on the plane. Douglas Lane said in a statement that the family is 'devastated' by their loss.
Sasha Kirsanov, 46, who coached Yang and Kay, emigrated from Russia to the U.S. in the 1990s and was a passionate coach, his former colleagues at the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club told CBS Baltimore.
Inna Volyanskaya, 59, who coached Aparicio and Everly Livingston, was a former pairs skater for the Soviet Union and performed with Disney on Ice before becoming a coach in 2002, according to U.S. Figure Skating.
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov: The couple, two-time Olympians and former world champions, trained young skaters at the Skating Club of Boston. Their 24-year-old son, Maxim Naumov, had competed in Wichita and taken an earlier flight home, the club's CEO, Doug Zeghibe, told reporters.
Seven men who traveled to Great Bend, Kansas, for a hunting trip were also on the American Eagle flight when it crashed: Michael Stovall (40), Jon Boyd (40), Charlie McDaniel (44), Alex Huffman (34), Jesse Pitcher (30), Steve Johnson (45) and Tommy Clagett (43).
The men were clients of a hunting club called Fowl Plains. The organization said in a post on Instagram that the men had hunted with them for years. 'We've spent this past week, sharing the blind, laughing, talking about our families, and sharing memories. We are completely heartbroken,' it said.
Kiah Duggins, 30, a civil rights attorney, was set to start a teaching position at Howard University. A Harvard Law School alumna and former president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, she helped protect families from unlawful evictions during the pandemic.
Grace Maxwell, 20, a junior at Cedarville University's engineering school, was returning from her grandfather's funeral in Kansas.
Vikesh Patel, 33, was an engineer for GE Aerospace. He and his wife had married in April 2024.
Wendy Jo Shaffer, 35, was a mother of two. Her husband described her in a statement shared with Fox News as an 'amazing woman' and 'the best wife, mother, and friend that anyone could ever hope for.'
Casey Crafton, 40, was a father of three who practiced martial arts, CT Insider reported. Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Crafton moved to his wife's home state of Connecticut.
Asra Hussain, 26, last texted her husband, Hamaad Raza, to let him know that her flight was landing in 20 minutes. Raza was waiting at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to pick her up. He told NBC Washington that Hussain was the 'kindest person I've ever met.'
Chris Collins, 42, and Melissa Nicandri, 28, both analysts with Moody's, were on a work trip. Collins was an active volunteer at a dog shelter in Stamford, Connecticut, CBS New York reported. Nicandri's boyfriend told Gothamist that she loved living in New York City and was a 'truly special person.'
Sarah Lee Best and Elizabeth Keys, both 33, were colleagues at a Washington, D.C., law firm, Wilkinson Stekloff. Best, a Tennessee native, was a 'brilliant, kind, and compassionate soul,' her former law professor said. Keys' family said in a statement that she was 'strong and fearless' and 'embraced life at full speed.' Keys turned 33 the day she was killed.
Bob and Lori Schrock, both 58, were married since December 1988. The couple had a successful farming business together. 'They ran marathons, but not together, as that was the key to a happy marriage along with not using a double kayak,' their obituaries said.
Lindsey Fields, 40, was a devoted mother and a biology professor at Butler Community College in Kansas. Her family has set up a scholarship in her name for science students.
Crew members on American Eagle Flight 5342 included two pilots and two flight attendants:
Jonathan Campos, 34, was a thrill-seeker and a 'damn good pilot,' his former fiancée, Nicole Suissa, told NBC New York.
Sam Lilley, 28, took after his father's love for aviation and he was engaged to be married, his father, Timothy Lilley, told Fox Orlando.
Danasia Brown Elder, 34, was dedicated to her job as a flight attendant. She had a husband and two children, and she loved her family 'tremendously,' her former classmate told WCNC.
Ian Epstein, 53, was not originally scheduled to work on Flight 5342 but had changed his shift to do so, his ex-wife Debi Epstein told People. He loved to travel and had a big personality, she said.
The Army released the names of the crew members on the Black Hawk helicopter last week. Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, 39; Capt. Rebecca Lobach, 28; and Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara, 28, were identified as those on board the helicopter.This article was originally published on MSNBC.com