Victims identified in DC plane crash involving American Airlines jet and military helicopter

Family and friends of those who lost their lives in the deadly American Airlines and Army helicopter collision are sharing tributes online as they wait for more answers about how this tragedy happened.

The midair crash occurred around 9 p.m. Wednesday, when an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane collided near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, D.C. All 67 people onboard both aircraft — including 60 passengers, four flight crew members and three soliders — are presumed dead.

Andrew Eaves

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed on X on Thursday night that one of the Army pilots who died in the crash was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, a Brooksville native.

His wife, Carrie, also shared a message on Facebook about his death.

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She asked for peace as all the victims’ families continue to grieve, and for the public to “refrain [from] negative comments on social media as these families’ children do not need to suffer more pain.”

“I am sure by now all of you have heard the news of the tragedy that has occurred in DC,” Carrie Eaves wrote on Facebook. “My husband was one of the pilots in the Black Hawk. We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today.”

She later shared another post, asking for friends to post photos of her late husband in the comment section.

“Let’s celebrate our loving memories,” she wrote.

Michelle Lawrence, his sister-in-law, said Eaves was “such a great dad” and “will forever be missed by us all” in a Thursday Facebook post.

Gov. Reeves noted that he and his wife, Elee, are “praying for the victims’ families and first responders who are assisting.”

Sam Lilley

Tim Lilley identified his son, 28-year-old Sam Lilley of Georgia, as the first officer on American Airlines flight 5342.

“I was so proud when Sam became a pilot. Now it hurts so bad I can’t even cry myself to sleep.”

— Tim Lilley

“I know I’ll see him again, but my heart is breaking,” Tim Lilley wrote in a Facebook post. “Sam was the First Officer on the flight that crashed in DC last night. He was doing great in his career and his personal life. He was engaged to get married in the fall.”

“It is so devastating to lose someone that is loved so much,” he added.

Scott Hubbard Jr., a friend and former colleague of Sam Lilley, wrote on Facebook: “I had the honor to help welcome him to one of his first flying jobs at SkyLens as the outgoing chief pilot due to starting my career at the airline. He was a phenomenal pilot. I never got to fly with him at the airlines as I changed companies but I was so proud to know him and consider him friend. My heart is heavy for his family and fiancé.”

“You left an everlasting impact on us all and we are grateful for you,” he added. “Blue Skies brother. And my condolences are with all the other crew members, the passengers, and military service members in the helicopter. This is a sad day.”

Ian Epstein

One flight attendant on board the jet has been identified as Ian Epstein.

“It is with a very heavy heart and extreme sadness that myself along with our children Hannah Epstein and Joanna Epstein and his sister Robbie Epstein Bloom and her husband Steven Bloom and nieces Andi and Dani inform you that Ian Epstein was one of the flight attendants on American Airlines Flight 5342 that collided last night when they were landing in DC,” Debi Epstein, Ian’s wife, wrote in a Facebook post. “Please pray for Ian and our family as we travel to DC. We will update when plans are made.”

Epstein’s family told Fox News Digital in a statement that he grew up in Montreal, Quebec, became a flight attendant a few years ago, and loved traveling and his job.

“Ian Epstein was full of life. He loved being a flight attendant because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. But his true love was his family.  He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother! He will be truly missed,” Epstein’s family said in a statement sent to Fox News.

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American Airlines has not yet confirmed the identities of Lilley or Epstein.

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D.C. fire and EMS chief John A. Donnelly said during a news conference Thursday that he’s confident that all of the bodies from the crash will be recovered.

“I’m confident that we will do that,” he told reporters. “It will take us a little bit of time. It may involve some more equipment.”

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Jonathan Campos

Campos, a pilot on Flight 5342, dreamed of flying planes since he was three years old, his aunt, Beverly Lane, told the New York Times.

“I think he wanted to be free, and be able to fly and soar like a bird,” Lane said.

Campos’ friend from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and fellow pilot Nicholas Shaw told the outlet that he had last spoken to Campos on the phone the night before the crash. Campos told him his next flight would include a stop in Wichita.

When Shaw heard about the crash the next day, he said his “heart dropped.”

He then texted Campos the same phrase the two friends always use when they haven’t heard from each other in a while: “You alive?”

There was no response this time.

Ryan O’Hara

Ryan O’Hara of Georgia was crew chief of the Black Hawk helicopter, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

O’Hara was married with a one-year-old son, the outlet reported.

“Ryan was one of the most dedicated, disciplined, and committed soldiers I’ve ever worked with,” CW5 Josh Muehlendorf told FOX 5. “He was chiefly concerned with the safety of his crews; the people he was training. He wanted everybody to execute their job with perfection and to come home safely.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp shared a tribute to O’Hara and Lilley in a Thursday post on X.

“We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Ryan O’Hara and Sam Lilley as they navigate this difficult time. Both of these young Georgians shared a passion for flight and for serving others, and this terrible tragedy is that much more difficult knowing their lives were cut so unexpectedly short,” Kemp said.

Wendy Shaffer

Wendy Shaffer, a mother of two young children, was another victim on board flight 5342.

“I’m still waiting to wake up from this nightmare, but I fear this is the truth.”

— Nate Shaffer

“Wendy was not just beautiful on the outside, but was a truly amazing woman through and through,” Wendy’s husband, Nate Shaffer, shared in a statement with Fox News Digital.

“She was the best wife, mother, and friend that anyone could ever hope for. Her love, kindness, and strength touched everyone she met. We will miss you more than words can express, Wendy Jo. I love you endlessly! Rest in peace, my love.”

Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin knew Shaffer and her husband.

“I met them both when they were dating when I was working in Charlotte, NC. Always smiling, such a sweetheart,” Melugin wrote on X. “Heartbroken for Nate. We go from joking in our fantasy football group chat to this horrible news.”

Danasia Elder

Danasia Elder was a Charlotte-based flight attendant, wife and mother of two children.

Her brother, Brandon Payne, described Elder as “full of life” in an interview with WSOC, saying she loved God, her children and traveling.

“She was a great wife, a great parent, a great friend,” Payne told the outlet. “She was very bright, very smart. She was an entrepreneur. This flight attendant thing was kind of like one of her dreams she wanted to do.”

He added that Elder would have wanted others to follow their dreams like she followed hers. “Don’t let nothing scare you, push you away. Just believe in yourself, believe in God, and follow the path,” Payne told WSOC.

Casey Crafton

Casey Crafton was a Connecticut youth soccer coach and a devoted father of three.

Connecticut State Senator Martha Marx and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont identified Crafton as one of the victims.

“The airline tragedy in Washington, D.C., last night has deeply impacted our Salem community. Casey Crafton—husband of Rachel and father to their three sons—was among the passengers on the American Airlines flight from Kansas that went down in the Potomac River,” Marx wrote in a Facebook statement.

“Salem has lost a dedicated father, husband, and community member,” the governor wrote in a X post. “Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”

In a statement on Facebook, the soccer club extended their condolences to his family and remembered him as a “valued volunteer” who “helped to enrich the lives of all those that he came in contact with.”

Salem Little League echoed similar sentiments, sharing in a statement that “our small town is heartbroken by a devastating tragedy involving one of our beloved Little League members.”

“The Crafton family, deeply involved in all things Salem, has suffered an unimaginable loss,” their statement said. “With heavy hearts, we share the news that Casey Crafton tragically passed away in the horrific airline crash in Washington DC. Please keep his family close to your hearts and in your prayers during this difficult time.”

Grace Maxwell

Grace Maxwell, a 20-year-old Wichita, Kansas native, was a biomedical engineering student at Cedarville University in Ohio, the university said.

The Ohio university said that Maxwell was flying back after attending her grandfather’s funeral in Kansas.

A news release sent out Thursday said Maxwell had a passion to help others in her field.

“Grace was a quiet person with a keen interest in helping others through engineering,” Dr. Tim Norman, who served as her secondary advisor, said.

Pergentino Malabed, Jr

Philippine Police Col. Pergentino Malabed Jr., who headed the supply management division of the national police, was among the dead.

He had traveled to the U.S. to inspect equipment the Philippines was planning to purchase for its 232,000-member force, according to a release from the Philippine police.

“His untimely passing is a profound loss to the Philippine National Police, where he served with honour, with integrity and dedication throughout his career,” police spokesperson Col. Randulf Tuano said in a statement.

Bob Schrock and Linda Schrock

Southern Kansas canola and wheat farmers Bob and Lori Schrock were among 67 people who perished. The couple, according to the Wichita Eagle, were heading to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to visit their daughter, who is a student at Villanova University in Philadelphia.

Michael Simpson, the president of Freedom Gates Boys Ranch in Hazelton, Kansas, wrote on Facebook that the couple were close friends and regular volunteers and at the religious organization.

“It is hard to get my mind around the loss of my friends Bob and Lori Schrock,” he said.

“Bob was one of three other men who encouraged me and taught me how to lift weights when I was 12 years old and continued to encourage me throughout my time in weights and competition,” Simpson wrote. “He was one of four men I called to ask his advice when I was praying about quitting my job to go into full-time ministry at the boys ranch.”

Simpson said the Schrocks often helped around the boys’ ranch and were, “Always silent in the background and never looking for any appreciation. They had a strong, vocal relationship with the Lord and I look forward to seeing my friends again.”

“One of the last times we talked was about how amazing heaven will be and how excited we were about the hope we have,” he said. “I have spent time in tears and reminiscing today, calling mutual friends and praying with them, sharing with the boys at the ranch stories about the people that cared about them.”

Vikesh Patel

Vikesh Patel was an aerospace engineer who worked in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“This is a tragedy not only for our industry but also for the GE Aerospace team as one of our cherished colleagues, Vikesh Patel, was onboard the flight,” Larry Culp, chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace, told WXIX. “Our hearts are with his family and all those impacted by this horrific accident.”

Kiah Duggins

Kiah Duggins was an attorney, a professor at Howard University, a Harvard University of Law and Wichita State University graduate, as well as a former Miss Kansas contestant.

“The Miss Wichita Organization mourns the tragic loss of Kiah Duggins, a distinguished WSU and Harvard Law alumna who graced the Miss Kansas stage and made top 10 in the Miss Kansas competition. She continued to pour back into women and attended our Miss Wichita competition this past November,” the Miss Wichita Organization said in a Facebook post.

The group said Duggins excelled in academics, advocated for civil rights and  co-founded the Shocker Food Locker campus food pantry and the Inspire outreach initiative.

“Kiah’s unwavering dedication to justice and her compassionate spirit have left an indelible mark on our community. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the organization said.

Howard University in Washington, D.C., issued a Thursday statement announcing “the passing of Professor Kiah Duggins, who was among those lost in the the mid-air plane collision at Reagan National Airport.”

“Professor Duggins was set to begin a new chapter as a professor at Howard University School of Law this fall,” the university said.  “As a civil rights lawyer, she dedicated her career to fighting against unconstitutional policing and unjust money bail practices in Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C. We ask for privacy and respect for Professor Duggins’ family, students, and colleagues during this difficult time. Plans to honor her legacy will be shared in coming days.”

Asra Hussain

Asra Hussain reportedly texted her husband just 20 minutes before Flight 5342 went down.

“She said, ‘We’re landing in 20 minutes,’” her husband, Hamaad Raza, told NBC 4 Washington.

“It’s just feels crazy that it happened to us, to be honest,” Raza told the outlet. “I mean, it’s like you see these things happen in the news, you see them happen in other countries. And then I show up to the airport, and my wife’s not responding, and I look on Twitter and I see that it’s her flight.”

Hussain’s aunt-in-law, Selma Tameez, described her as “a bright light who was full of love and had a spirit that touched everyone she met” in a Facebook post.

“She was a woman of faith, family and grace.”

— Selma Tameez

“She had an infectious laugh and embraced our family with open arms. I will miss that smile and her phone calls. She was a woman of faith, family and grace,” Tameez said. “We will miss her dearly as we seek to honor her memory and help Hamaad through this tragic, tragic time. Please keep Asra in your prayers.”

Melissa Jane Nicandri

Melissa Jane Nicandri, 28, was identified two days after the tragic crash by the mayor in a social media post.

“Today, we learned that one of the 67 victims of the heartbreaking crash on Wednesday was a fellow New Yorker, Melissa Jane Nicandri. At just 28 years old, her life was tragically cut short,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted on X. “My heart and my prayers go out to her loved ones.”

Nicandri was traveling back to New York following a work trip in Kansas and had a connection through Reagan National Airport, her mother told Gothamist.

“She was an amazing woman, she was an amazing girl and had so much going for her,” Stacie Nicandri told Gothamist.

Figure skaters

Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, said Thursday that six of its members died in the collision last night.

Zeghibe said 14 skaters were returning home from a national development camp in Wichita, Kansas and six of them were members of his organization.

“Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” Zeghibe said. “Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together six or seven days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”

Jinna Han and Jin Han

Zeghibe identified skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane as two of the victims in the crash. Their mothers were also on board, the Associated Press reported.

Both Han and Lane were members of the Skating Club of Boston.

Spencer Lane and Christine Lane 

Prior to the crash, Lane posted a photo on his Instagram story with a view from inside the plane before it departed from Wichita.

“Six is a horrific number for us, but we’re fortunate and grateful it wasn’t more than six,” Zeghibe said. “This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community.

Two of the members were coaches who were former world pair champions, and two were teenagers. Mothers of the athletes died as well, he added.

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov

The Kremlin said Thursday that Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who had competed in multiple Olympic Games and medaled in multiple world championships, were among those aboard the American Airlines flight.

Shiskova and Naumov, who were married, were coaches and members of the Skating Club of Boston.

Inna Volyanskaya

Renowned ice-skating coach Inna Volyanskaya, a member of the Washington Figure Skating Club, was among the victims aboard Flight 5342 on Wednesday.

“As we continue to process this tragedy, we honor the memories of those who we have lost—their passion for the sport, the friendships they cultivated, and the joy they brought to the ice,” the WFSC and Skating Club of Northern Virginia wrote in a statement. “Their presence at our rinks and in our community is deeply felt, and their absence is indescribable.”

Volyanskaya competed as a figure skater for the pre-1991 Soviet Union, according to TASS, the Russian News Agency.

Donna, Peter, Everly and Alydia Livingston

Donna Livingston and Peter Livingston, as well as their two children, died in the Wednesday crash.

“I knew Donna in college. She was a wonderful, positive, and sweet person,” the Livingstons’ friend, Scott Molony, wrote in a Facebook post. “I watched her life and family grow and evolve through social media, including the two beautiful, talented daughters she shared with her husband. They were clearly proud, loving, supportive parents, devoted to their daughters’ love of ice skating.”

Molony continued: “The loss of Donna, her husband, and their two daughters is terribly tragic. This family was a shining light of what is right in this world, a world where there is so much wrong.”

Their two daughters, Everly and Alydia Livingston, were figure skaters known as the “ice skating sisters” on social media. Videos and photos show the two sisters skating together and doing their own routines at various competitions.

Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov

Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov was a figure skating coach en route to Wichita with his young students, Sean Kay and Angela Yang.

“This young team – Sean Kay and Angela Yang – they were so amazing,” Natalya Gudin, Kirsanov’s wife, told Delaware Online. “All the judges were so proud and they had such a big future. And what, all on the same plane?”

Sean Kay and Angela Yang

Delaware Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Chris Coons confirmed the deaths of Kirsanov and his two young skaters in Facebook posts.

“Coach Alexandr Kirsanov and skaters Angela Yang and Sean Kay were returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas where they were practicing their love of the sport when tragedy struck,” the senator wrote. “As we grapple with this unfathomable loss, my heart breaks for the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club and our community.”

Coons said it “is a tragedy that none of them returned home to our state.”

“Delaware is a state of neighbors, and tonight we hold all of our neighbors a little closer. My heart goes out to Sasha’s wife Natalia, the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, and every other Delawarean touched by the three of them,” the senator wrote.

Edward, Kaiyan and Joe Zhou

Edward Zhou, 16, was a member of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia and was described as a beloved member of the Ashburn Ice House community.

The Skating Lesson website said he “was tiny when he first learnt how to skate, but he was fearless and unafraid of trying anything new.

“It has been said that his coaches loved coaching him because he always smiled and laughed every time he fell,” they said. “Edward was known for relentlessly cheering on the other skaters.”

The site said his parents, Kaiyan and Joe — “who were known for always being at the rink and traveling together everywhere” — also died on the plane.

Franco Aparicio and Luciano Aparicio

Franco Aparicio, 13, and his father, Luciano, died in the crash. The Aparicios, who were originally from Chile, lived in Virginia.

His sister Isabella wrote on Instagram: “To the best brother ever, thank you for being you and for being my best friend. You don’t deserve this and you have the sweetest soul. I love you so much.”

The 13-year-old skated with the Washington Figure Skating Club. He was remembered for being an integral part of the skating community.

“Franco loves volunteering because its another way for him to stay connected with his skating community and meet new skaters for the first time,” the Washington Figure Skating Club wrote on social media.

Cory, Stephanie and Roger Haynos

Cory Haynos was returning from the competition with his parents, Stephanie and Roger.

“Cory was an amazing skater with a very bright future with the US Skating Team,” Roger Haynos’ cousin Matthew LaRaviere wrote in a tribute shared on Instagram. “…We all were expecting Cory to represent our country in the US Olympics in the future.”

Stephanie served on the board of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia, while Roger helped his son with musical arrangements for his performances.

Southern Maryland families

A group of men from Southern Maryland, who were business owners, had gone on their annual hunting trip together and were headed back home when they boarded Flight 5342.

“On January 29, 2025, tragedy struck our community when American Airlines Flight 5342, which had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) for landing, crashed over the Potomac River. The crash claimed the lives of several beloved local hunters from Southern Maryland,” a GoFundMe titled “Help Southern Maryland Families After Flight 5342 Crash” states.

“These victims were more than just hunters; they were fathers, sons, husbands, friends, business owners and respected members of the community who shared a deep love for the outdoors,” a description of the fundraiser reads. “Their presence in the field and their contributions to the local hunting community have left lasting memories, and they will be deeply missed.”

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Jesse Pitcher 

Jesse Pitcher, a plumber, had been on his annual hunting trip to Kansas with a group of other business owners.

“He was one of the best humans I’ve been around,” his friend John Pierce wrote in a Facebook post. “We’ve only known each others a couple years now and we became family through marriages this past year. Just last month we went on a hunting trip together … this trip was planned by sitting on the couch after Christmas Eve dinner on Tuesday night watching a hunting channel. Jesse popped up and said have y’all ever been Bear hunting? We all said no but we really want to.”

He added that Pitcher lived life with a “work hard play hard” mentality.

Former Virginia students

Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia announced that multiple victims were former students in the school system.

“Our hearts are heavy as we process the devastating news of last night’s tragic plane crash over the Potomac River involving an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter. This unimaginable loss has deeply affected our community, and with great sorrow, we have learned that multiple victims were former LCPS students,” the school district said in a release Thursday. “Many other Loudoun families have also been impacted, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those grieving in the wake of this tragedy.”

Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia wrote in a statement on its website that three students and six parents in the district were killed in the crash. Two of those parents were current or former FCPS staff members.

Two Chinese nationals

The Chinese embassy in the U.S. said late Friday that two Chinese nationals were among the victims in the midair collision.

The embassy expressed its deep condolences to all victims and said they will provide consular protection and assistance.

“The Chinese Embassy extends deepest condolences to all the victims and sympathies to the bereaved families,” the embassy said in a statement. It did not offer further details on the victims.

The Chinese ambassador to the U.S. said he was “deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic plane crash in Washington, DC last night.”