Captain Jonathan Campos Obituary and Death: A Devoted and Passionate Aviator’s Life Cut Short in a Tragic Accident

Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Samuel Lilley, 29, were the pilots at the controls of American Eagle Flight 5342 when it tragically collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C. ¹. The crash occurred on Wednesday night, resulting in a catastrophic fireball that sent both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River.

Captain Campos, originally from New York but raised in Florida, had dedicated his life to aviation. He was certified as a flight instructor in 2017 and earned his commercial airline pilot license in 2018 from Epic Flight Academy ¹.

First Officer Samuel Lilley Obituary and Death: A Young and Ambitious Aviator’s Life Cut Short

First Officer Samuel Lilley, 29, was recently engaged and just months away from being promoted to captain. His father, Timothy Lilley, a former Army Black Hawk pilot, shared that Samuel was in the prime of his life, with a bright future ahead of him ¹.

In a tragic coincidence, Timothy revealed that he had previously flown the same type of helicopter in the exact airspace where the crash occurred. At the time of the accident, Timothy was at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, unaware that his own son was involved ¹.

Ian Epstein Obituary and Death: A Young and Promising Flight Attendant’s Life Cut Short

Ian Epstein, one of the flight attendants on board, came from a family of aviators. His father, also a pilot, shared that Ian was engaged to be married and had begun his airline career in 2019 ¹.

Danasia Elder Obituary and Death: A Devoted and Caring Flight Attendant’s Life Cut Short

Danasia Elder, the other flight attendant on board, was also a vital member of the flight crew. Her dedication to her work and her passengers will be deeply missed ¹.

The Crash and Investigation

The collision occurred 400 feet above the Potomac River as Flight 5342 was on its final approach to Reagan Washington National Airport. The PSA Airlines-operated jet was carrying 60 passengers and was completing a routine flight from Wichita, Kansas ¹.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the cause of the crash. The NTSB will provide further details as they continue to review flight data and gather evidence ².

The crash has sent shockwaves through the aviation community, and the families of the victims are in mourning. The global skating community is also in grief, as many figure skaters were on board the flight, including U.S. figure skating team members ¹.