People Who Died On Tragic D.C. Air Crash Identified

Wednesday night, a tragic incident rocked the country when a passenger plane operated by American Airlines and a U.S.A collision occurred between an Army Black Hawk chopper and Reagan Washington National Airport. A tragic event in aviation history, the crash drove both planes into the Potomac River and left no survivors.

A Flight That Never Landed

American Eagle Flight 5342 was on its final approach to Reagan National, arriving from Wichita, Kansas, when disaster struck. The aircraft carried 60 passengers and four crew members, many of whom were figure skaters returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Meanwhile, the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, was on a routine training mission when the collision occurred.

Authorities rushed to the scene, launching an extensive search and recovery effort, but by Thursday morning, Washington, D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly delivered the grim news:

“At this point, I don’t believe we are going to find any survivors.”

A Community in Mourning

Among the victims were talented young figure skaters, dedicated coaches, airline crew members, and respected professionals. The loss of so many promising athletes has left the figure skating community in deep sorrow.

Jinna Han, 16, a rising star from The Skating Club of Boston, was on the flight with her mother, Jin Han. Another young skater, Spencer Lane, also 16, had been described by his home rink as “a bright light… always excited to be on the ice.” Tragically, both perished in the crash along with their mothers.

Coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, both former Olympic competitors, also lost their lives. Their son, Maxim Naumov, who had competed in Wichita, had taken an earlier flight home, escaping the tragedy. “When you lose coaches like this, you lose the future of the sport,” said Doug Zeghibe, CEO of The Skating Club of Boston.

Stories That Will Never Be Forgotten

The victims came from all walks of life. Wendy Shaffer, a mother of two young boys, was described by her grieving husband as “a truly amazing woman through and through.” Elizabeth Keys, an attorney who had just turned 33, was remembered by her mother as “a warm, generous woman… filled with light and joy.”

Flight attendant Ian Epstein was passionate about his job, but his sister shared that “his true love was his family.” Another flight attendant, Danasia Brown, had planned to leave her position for a new career. “It was supposed to be her last flight,” her cousin revealed.

Families are crushed and communities are devastated as a result of this catastrophe. Through the stories their loved ones recount, the memories of those who have passed away will endure while the country grieves.