American Airlines pilots in DC crash tragedy named as Jonathan Campos and Sam Lilley as Trump confirms 67 killed
THE men who piloted the ill-fated American Airlines plane that was struck by a US Army Black Hawk and fell into a river have been named.
Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Sam Lilley, 28, are among the 67 people who were killed in the horrifying crash outside Washington DC on Wednesday evening.
Their passenger plane erupted into flames and fell into the Potomac River in three pieces after an "elevation issue" saw the US Military helicopter directly in its path, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
The flight from Wichita, Kansas, to the nation's capital had gone on without a hitch until the deadly moment, and officials are investigating exactly what went wrong.
The American Airlines plane had sixty passengers and four crew members, and there were three Army soldiers on the Black Hawk.
There are no survivors, making this the most deadly US air crash in over 24 years.
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Helping to pilot the plane was First Officer Lilley, who was just months away from being promoted to captain.
It comes as...
- All 64 passengers are feared dead with at least 28 bodies pulled from river
- CCTV captures moment of the crash
- Chilling audio reveals the final moments of flight
- World champion figure skaters confirmed to be on board
- Figure skater shared final, tragic picture from inside the plane before takeoff
- Another skater was accidentally saved from boarding the flight thanks to his dog
- Husband reveals wife's final text from doomed jet
- Rescue efforts hindered by freezing & dark conditions with 12 hours before severe weather comes
- American Airlines CEO blames Black Hawk pilots
- Trump blames Obama and Biden's DEI polices at FAA for crash
- American Airlines pilots and crew named
- Passenger names beginning to be released, including teens, parents, and coaches
The young man was in "the prime of his life" and was engaged to a "beautiful, wonderful girl," his heartbroken father, Timothy Lilley, told the Daily Mail.
Timothy, a private plane pilot, said his heart dropped when he realized that the plane crash matched his son's schedule.
The devastated dad called his son's fiancee to tell her the news before breaking down into heaving sobs.
"It's a bitter, bitter pill to swallow," he said.
"But my son knows Jesus and that's the part that makes it a little easier. But I'm still left behind. We're all left behind.
"He was loved by so many people."
In a now-tragic twist, Timothy revealed that he is an Army veteran and that he used to pilot Black Hawks.
"My brother in the Army had something to do with the death of my son," he said.
VICTIMS NAMED
Ian Epstein and Danasia Elder were the flight attendants on the plane.
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A family member confirmed Epstein's death, and said they were on their way to Washington DC.
"Please pray for Ian and our family as we travel to DC," Debi Epstein wrote on Facebook.