Latest news with #SamuelLilley
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Regional airliner bestows posthumous honors on crew killed in DC crash
The four airline crew members killed in the midair collision with a military helicopter last month in Washington, D.C., are receiving posthumous awards in their honor, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) announced on Sunday. PSA Airlines, the regional airline part of American Airlines Group, said it is bestowing the PSA Honorary President's Award on Captain Jonathan Campos, First Officer Samuel Lilley and flight attendants Danasia Elder and Ian Epstein. 'The President's Award is the highest honor a PSA team member can receive, and it represents the very best of our airline,' the airline said in a press release Sunday. 'It is a peer-nominated honor and based on the company-wide outpouring of support for our lost colleagues, we cannot think of a more moving or sincere tribute than having all 5,000 PSA team members nominate our fallen colleagues,' the statement continued. The airline said it decided on the move after 'speaking with our fallen crew members' loved ones about ways PSA can pay tribute to and honor them.' The family members of each crew member will receive a commemorative certificate recognizing the award. The regional airliner also announced it is posthumously upgrading Lilley's status from first officer to honorary captain. 'Throughout his tenure at PSA Airlines, Samuel Lilley exemplified the highest standards of aviation excellence, demonstrating exceptional airmanship, unwavering dedication to safety, and extraordinary professionalism that inspired all who had the privilege of flying alongside him,' the airline wrote in a statement. 'The title of Honorary Captain reflects not only his technical expertise but also the profound impact he had on our airline family,' the statement continued. 'His legacy will forever serve as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the dedication, skill, and integrity that define the very best in our profession.' On Jan. 29, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter with three crew aboard collided with an American Airlines regional passenger jet with 60 passengers and four crew members. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, killing all 67. The Federal Aviation Administration said after the crash that, until March 31, helicopters and airplanes would not be permitted to share air space over the Potomac near the busy Reagan Washington National Airport. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine whether the Black Hawk was too high at the time of the crash, among other factors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
10-02-2025
- General
- The Hill
Regional airliner bestows posthumous honors on crew killed in DC crash
The four airline crew members killed in the midair collision with a military helicopter last month in Washington, D.C., are receiving posthumous awards in their honor, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) announced on Sunday. PSA Airlines, the regional airline part of American Airlines Group, said it is bestowing the PSA Honorary President's Award on Captain Jonathan Campos, First Officer Samuel Lilley and flight attendants Danasia Elder and Ian Epstein. 'The President's Award is the highest honor a PSA team member can receive, and it represents the very best of our airline,' the airline said in a press release Sunday. 'It is a peer-nominated honor and based on the company-wide outpouring of support for our lost colleagues, we cannot think of a more moving or sincere tribute than having all 5,000 PSA team members nominate our fallen colleagues,' the statement continued. The airline said it decided on the move after 'speaking with our fallen crew members' loved ones about ways PSA can pay tribute to and honor them.' The family members of each crew member will receive a commemorative certificate recognizing the award. The regional airliner also announced it is posthumously upgrading Lilley's status from first officer to honorary captain. 'Throughout his tenure at PSA Airlines, Samuel Lilley exemplified the highest standards of aviation excellence, demonstrating exceptional airmanship, unwavering dedication to safety, and extraordinary professionalism that inspired all who had the privilege of flying alongside him,' the airline wrote in a statement. 'The title of Honorary Captain reflects not only his technical expertise but also the profound impact he had on our airline family,' the statement continued. 'His legacy will forever serve as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the dedication, skill, and integrity that define the very best in our profession.' On Jan. 29, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter with three crew aboard collided with an American Airlines regional passenger jet with 60 passengers and four crew members. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, killing all 67. The Federal Aviation Administration said after the crash that, until March 31, helicopters and airplanes would not be permitted to share air space over the Potomac near the busy Reagan Washington National Airport. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine whether the Black Hawk was too high at the time of the crash, among other factors.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Crew members killed in American Airlines crash receive posthumous honors
Crew members on board the passenger jet that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter and crashed two weeks ago near Washington, D.C., have been awarded posthumous honors by the regional airline that operated their plane. American Eagle Flight 5342 plunged into the Potomac River on the night of Jan. 29, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan International Airport. The plane and military helicopter, piloted by three soldiers, struck each other in midair as Flight 5342 approached the airport's runway, causing both to go down. Everyone in both aircraft was killed. Exactly what caused the deadly collision, and how the events unfolded leading up to it, are under investigation. PSA Airlines, the regional airline that operated the American Eagle flight, announced Sunday that each crew member on board the plane has been given an honorary award considered the company's highest distinction for employees. PSA Airlines and American Eagle are regional subsidiaries of American Airlines. The crew's captain Jonathan Campos, first officer Samuel Lilley and flight attendants Danasia Elder and Ian Epstein have received the PSA Honorary President's Award, "the highest honor a PSA team member can receive," which PSA said "represents the very best of our airline." "It is a peer-nominated honor and based on the company-wide outpouring of support for our lost colleagues, we cannot think of a more moving or sincere tribute than having all 5,000 team members nominate our fallen colleagues," the airline said in a statement. Family members of Campos, Lilley, Elder and Epstein will receive commemorative certificates, the statement continued, noting PSA has "been focused on caring for the families and loved ones of all lost on that flight." The airline has also given Lilley an honorary captain's title. "Throughout his tenure at PSA Airlines, Samuel Lilley exemplified the highest standards of aviation excellence, demonstrating exceptional airmanship, unwavering dedication to safety, and extraordinary professionalism that inspired all who had the privilege of flying alongside him," said PSA. "The title of Honorary Captain reflects not only his technical expertise but also the profound impact he had on our airline family. His legacy will forever serve as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the dedication, skill, and integrity that define the very best in our profession." Are the Trump moves to dismantle USAID a preview of the future for other public servants? Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump federal gutting doesn't "have the support" among GOP in Congress CBS News correspondents and contributors on the impact of the Trump administration overhaul
CBS News
09-02-2025
- General
- CBS News
Crew members killed in American Airlines crash receive posthumous honors
Crew members on board the passenger jet that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter and crashed two weeks ago near Washington, D.C., have been awarded posthumous honors by the regional airline that operated their plane. American Eagle Flight 5342 plunged into the Potomac River on the night of Jan. 29, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan International Airport. The plane and military helicopter, piloted by three soldiers, struck each other in midair as Flight 5342 approached the airport's runway, causing both to go down. Everyone in both aircraft was killed. Exactly what caused the deadly collision, and how the events unfolded leading up to it, are under investigation. PSA Airlines, the regional airline that operated the American Eagle flight, announced Sunday that each crew member on board the plane has been given an honorary award considered the company's highest distinction for employees. PSA Airlines and American Eagle are regional subsidiaries of American Airlines. The crew's captain Jonathan Campos, first officer Samuel Lilley and flight attendants Danasia Elder and Ian Epstein have received the PSA Honorary President's Award, "the highest honor a PSA team member can receive," which PSA said "represents the very best of our airline." "It is a peer-nominated honor and based on the company-wide outpouring of support for our lost colleagues, we cannot think of a more moving or sincere tribute than having all 5,000 team members nominate our fallen colleagues," the airline said in a statement. Family members of Campos, Lilley, Elder and Epstein will receive commemorative certificates, the statement continued, noting PSA has "been focused on caring for the families and loved ones of all lost on that flight." The airline has also given Lilley an honorary captain's title. "Throughout his tenure at PSA Airlines, Samuel Lilley exemplified the highest standards of aviation excellence, demonstrating exceptional airmanship, unwavering dedication to safety, and extraordinary professionalism that inspired all who had the privilege of flying alongside him," said PSA. "The title of Honorary Captain reflects not only his technical expertise but also the profound impact he had on our airline family. His legacy will forever serve as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the dedication, skill, and integrity that define the very best in our profession."
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Who were the victims in the DC plane crash? Figure skaters react to tragedy
Officials believe no one survived the crash involving an American Airlines passenger plane with an Army helicopter. On Wednesday, just before 9 p.m. ET, American Airlines Flight 5342 was involved in a mid-air collision near the Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C., American Airlines said in a statement. On board the plane was 60 passengers and four crew members. The helicopter, a Black Hawk helicopter, carried three passengers, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. The crash occurred above the Potomac River. The plane was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., when the crash occurred, according to American Airlines. DC plane crash live updates: Latest on victims, NTSB investigation into cause of crash The following list is incomplete, as many of the victims' names had not been released to the public as of Friday morning. American Airlines staff: Jonathan J. Campos, 34, pilot Samuel Lilley, 28, co-pilot Danasia Brown Elder, flight attendant Ian Epstein, flight attendant Skating Club of Boston: Jinna Han, 13, a skater, and her mother, Jin Han Spencer Lane, 16, a skater, and his mother, Christine Evgeniya Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55, two coaches and champion skaters from Russia Other skaters Cory Haynos, an adolescent skater from Northern Virginia, and his parents Stephanie and Roger Olivia Ter, 12, a skater from Maryland Brielle Magdalena Beyer, 12, a skater, and her mother Justyna, 42 Alexandr "Sasha" Kirsanov, 46, coach Angela Yang and Sean Kay, skaters coached by Kirsanov Group returning from Kansas duck-hunting trip Michael Stovall, 40 Jesse Pitcher, 30 Five others yet to be publicly identified Others Grace Maxwell, 29, a student at Cedarville University in Ohio Asra Hussain Raza, 26, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant and the daughter of Indian immigrants Kiah Duggins, civil rights attorney Sarah Lee Best, 33, and Elizabeth Anne Keys, 33, law associates Casey Crafton Pergentino N. Malabed, director of its Supply Management Division for the Philippine National Police Vikesh Patel, a GE Aerospace employee from Cincinnati Black Hawk helicopter crew Ryan O'Hara, 29, Crew Chief Andrew Eaves, Chief Warrant Officer 2 A third soldier who was in the helicopter has yet to be publicly identified The devastating toll this flight took on the figure skating community became more evident as reactions from the sport's biggest names began to trickle out on social media. Former Olympic silver medalist Ashley Wagner, former Olympic gold medalist and NBC figure skating analyst Tara Lipinski and her NBC partner and former figure skater Johnny Weir were among those to post their thoughts and prayers on Instagram. Wagner posted a message on her Instagram Story that read: 'My heart breaks for my skating family today. I can't put into words what this feeling is – I'm horrified, heartbroken, devastated and shocked. It makes you realize that 'my heart goes out to' and 'condolences to the families' simply are not enough.' Lipinski shared a screenshot of a news article by People with a message on her Instagram Story: "It's unimaginable the loss. We will mourn their loss and ALWAYS remember them. My heart is with all the families affected- that part I have no words for. 'Strength' and 'love' won't do it justice. So many of our own were on this tragic flight and my heart aches, for them and for everyone part of this devastating accident.' Johnny Weir also posted his reaction on Instagram Story. Included with a screenshot of a BBC news article was the following message: 'I'm praying for everyone affected by this tragic accident. Members of our skating family were on that flight returning home from Nationals in Wichita. We mourn their loss and pray for their families & loved ones.' Weir also made a post reading, "May we shine a light on them. May we mourn them. May we always remember them." Wednesday's crash also prompted a response from former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding. She was left stunned, just like everyone else affiliated with the sport. Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, said in a statement offering condolences that some on board the flight may have been Olympians. Reigning world and national champion men's figure skater Ilia Malinin wrote on Instagram: "I'm heartbroken by the tragic loss of my fellow skaters in this devastating accident. The figure skating community is a family, and this loss is beyond words." Nancy Kerrigan, the Olympic figure skater and a Skating Club of Boston alum, was overcome with emotions when speaking about the tragedy during a news conference alongside programs officials Thursday. "I've never seen someone love skating as much as these two, and that's why I think it hurts so much," Kerrigan said of Lane and Hahn. "... When you find out you know some of the people on the plane, it's even a bigger blow." Doug Zeghibe, the chief executive for the Skating Club of Boston, said in a briefing Thursday that "to the best of our knowledge," 14 skaters returning from the development camp in Wichita were involved in the crash, including Jinna Han and her mother Jin; Spencer Lane and his mother Christine, and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, former Russian world champion figure skaters who were married. "This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community," Zeghibe told reporters. — USA TODAY and the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: DC plane crash update: Figure skating victims, soldiers presumed dead
