Sympathy flowers sit on a table alongside photos of people lost on American Airlines flight 5342 at the Skating Club of Boston in memory of the six Boston area skaters and their family members and coaches, in Norwood, Massachusetts on Thursday, Jan. 30. Photo: Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
No survivors are expected after an American Airlines passenger flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair on Wednesday night, near Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport.
The big picture: While the cause of the crash is being investigated, details are emerging about the people who were aboard the aircrafts.
- American Eagle Flight 5342 had 64 people on board, while the helicopter was carrying three soldiers.
State of play: The flight was en route from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C., when the plane and helicopter collided.
- The American Airlines flight attendants were based out of Charlotte, an Association of Flight Attendants spokesperson confirmed to Axios.
- The Communication Workers of America, a labor union, said two members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA were on the plane. They did not immediately name them.
- Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, confirmed at a briefing Thursday that “to the best of their knowledge” 14 skaters were on board the flight, returning home from a development camp put on in Wichita by U.S. Figure Skating.
- United Association, a union representing plumbers and other service technicians, said Thursday that at least five members were on the flight. Four of them were members of Maryland-based Steamfitters United Association Local 602. They were not immediately identified by name.
Zoom in: Two Chinese citizens were also on board, China’s state media reported the country’s embassy in D.C. as saying.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Telegram that Russian figure skaters and other citizens were on board. Russian state news agency TASS reported coaches of Russian origin may have been on board.
- Philippine National Police confirmed to local media one of its officers was on the plane.
Here’s what we know about the victims so far:
Police Col. Pergentino Malabed Jr.
Col. Pergentino Malabed Jr., 51, was the chief of the Philippine National Police Supply Management Division and “on official travel,” officials told Filipino reporters.
- “His untimely passing is a profound loss to the PNP, where he served with honor, integrity and dedication throughout his career,” the PNP said in a media statement.
Sarah Lee Best and Elizabeth Anne Keys
Law firm Wilkinson Stekloff paid tribute to its D.C.-based associates Sarah Lee Best and Elizabeth Anne Keys in a media statement.
- “We are heartbroken by this terrible tragedy. Liz and Sarah were cherished members of our firm — wonderful attorneys, colleagues and friends,” the statement said.
Casey Crafton
“Salem has lost a dedicated father, husband, and community member,” said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont in a post to X confirming Casey Grafton was on the flight.
- Montville Youth Soccer Club said on Facebook the coach “was a valued volunteer,” who “helped to enrich the lives of all those that he came in contact with.”
Vikesh Patel
GE Aerospace employee Vikesh Patel was remembered as a “cherished” colleague by Larry Culp, the company’s chair and CEO said to WXIX Channel 19.
- “This is a tragedy not only for our industry, but also for the GE Aerospace team,” the company said on X.
Grace Maxwell
Cedarville University student Grace Maxwell, a mechanical engineering major who was due to graduate next year, was on board the plane, per a statement from the college that’s northeast of Cincinnati, Ohio, to WLWT.
- “As you can imagine, the past 24 hours have been very difficult for the Maxwell family and the Cedarville University community. As a university, we do not desire to turn this tragic event into anything more than a way to honor Grace, her family, and Jesus,” the statement added.
Alydia, Everly, Donna and Peter Livingston
Donna Livingston and Peter Livingston and their daughters, Everly, 11, and Alydia, 14, from Ashburn, Virginia, “were among those lost on AA5342,” The Skating Lesson said on Instagram.
- The sisters were members of the Washington Figure Skating Club and had over 14,000 followers on their Instagram account, where they shared their love for skating.
Brielle and Justyna Beyer
“Brielle Beyer, 12, of Aldie, Virginia, was a spunky skater who was said to live on the ice,” The Skating Lesson said on Instagram.
- Andy Beyer told ABC News his wife, Justyna, and daughter, who overcame cancer at four months old had been away for six days for a figure skating camp, adding: “”I missed them… Figure skating at that level, it’s a lifestyle.”
Wendy Jo Shaffer
Charlotte mother-of-two and “incredible” wife Wendy Jo Shaffer was a passenger on the plane, Fox News’ Los Angeles-based correspondent Bill Melugin said in a post to X about his friend, which also carried a statement from her husband, Nate.
- “Her love, kindness, and strength touched everyone she met. We will miss you more than words can express, Wendy Jo,” her husband’s statement said.
Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov
Delaware skating coach Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov was “more than just a coach — he was a mentor, a friend, and a light in the skating world,” per a Facebook post by the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club confirming its former coach and “two incredible skaters from our rink” were on the plane.
- He is survived by his wife, Natalia Gudin, who also teaches students, and daughter, Nicole.
Angela Yang and Sean Kay
Natalia Gudin confirmed to Delaware Online that the two child skaters were also on the plane.
- “This young team — Sean Kay and Angela Yang — they were so amazing. All the judges were so proud and they had such a big future,” Gudin said. “For me, it’s a triple [loss].”
- Angela, 11, and Sean, 11, “were undefeated in juvenile ice dance this season,” The Skating Lesson said on Instagram.
Ryan O’Hara
Ryan O’Hara, the crew chief of the helicopter, was remembered by Parkview High School Marine Corps JROTC in Lilburn, metro Atlanta, “as a guy who would fix things around the ROTC gym as well as a vital member of the Rifle Team.”
- He leaves behind a wife and 1-year-old son, per a school Facebook post.
Andrew Eaves
Brooksville native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves was one of three pilots in the Black Hawk, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on X.
- Eaves was Central Academy graduate who grew up in the Brooksville area, per the Macon Beacon.
- Eaves is remembered as “one of the finest, most disciplined, committed trainers,” Josh Muehlendorf, Chief Warrant Officer 5 with the US Army, told CNN in an interview.
Asra Hussain Raza
Asra Hussain Raza was traveling home from a work trip when the crash occurred, according to Indianapolis’ WISH-TV.
- The 26-year-old graduate of the University of Indiana and Columbia University had recently moved to D.C. with her husband for a consulting job, per CBS News.
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov
The two Russian skaters aboard the American Airlines flight were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, TASS reported.
- The pair were married and former world champions, having won the pair title in 1994. They competed together at the Olympics in 1992 and 1994.
- They moved to the U.S. in 1998 to coach at the International Skating Center in Connecticut, per Radio Free Europe.
- The Skating Club of Boston lists both Shishkova and Naumov as coaches.
- Their son, Maxim Naumov, is a skater at the club, but returned home earlier in the week, Zeghibe said.
Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov performing at the Pairs event at the Figure Skating Championship finals in Paris, France, in 1996. Photo: Pierre Verdy/AFP via Getty Images
Jinna Han and Jin Han
Jinna Han was one of the athletes aboard the American Airlines flight, the Boston Skating Club confirmed Thursday.
- Zeghibe described her as a “wonderful kid” and a “great competitor” who was “loved by all.”
- Her mother, Jin Han, was accompanying her during her time at the development camp and was also killed in the crash.
Spencer Lane and Christine Lane
Spencer Lane was another skater from the Boston Skating Club who died in the crash.
- Lane was a “highly talented” skater “rocketing to the top of the sport,” Zeghibe said.
- His mother, Christine Lane, was also on the plane.
Inna Volyanskaya
Virginia Rep. Suhas Subramanyam confirmed on X Thursday that one of his constituents, Inna Volyanskaya, was aboard the American Airlines flight.
- Volyanskaya was a coach at the Washington Figure Skating Club, which said in a statement Thursday that it was “devastated” to hear of the crash but did not confirm details about any potential victims.
- Inna Volyanskaya was a former professional skater who had competed for the Soviet Union, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
Sam Lilley
One of the American Eagle flight pilots was 28-year-old Sam Lilley, who started started his pilot training in 2019, his father told FOX 5 Atlanta.
- “He was engaged to get married in the fall,” Timothy Lilley said of his son in a Facebook post. “Sam was the First Officer on the flight that crashed in DC last night. It is so devastating to lose someone that is loved so much.”
Ian Epstein
Charlotte flight attendant Ian Epstein was “full of life,” his family said in a media statement.
- “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.”
Michael Stovall and Jesse Pitcher
- Michael Stovall, 40, and Jesse Pitcher, 30 were on a hunting trip with their friends in Kansas, the New York Times reported. Stovall was a steamfitter and Pitcher owned a plumbing business.
- “He said he’d see me when he got back,” Pitcher’s father, Jameson Pitcher, told the NYT.
Go deeper: D.C. plane crash: What we know about the collision as all passengers feared dead
Editor’s note: This story will be updated with additional information as it is available. Axios’ April Rubin contributed reporting.
