The Tragic Last Words Of American Eagle Pilot Jonathan Campos To His Family As He Boarded The Aircraft Prior To The DC Plane Accident
Jonathan Campos, 34, was a passionate pilot who had dreamed of flying since childhood. He was excited about an upcoming cruise and a family trip to Florida. Tragically, he was among the 67 victims of the catastrophic collision on Flight 5342, which crashed after colliding with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night.
Campos, First Officer Samuel Lilley, and flight attendants Ian Epstein and Danasia Elder were among those killed. Campos, who had recently gotten engaged and was about to be promoted to captain, was living his dream. He had attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and had also trained at Epic Flight Academy in Florida.
The crash, which killed over 40 people, including several young figure skaters and a family of four, is the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in 16 years. Among the victims were Russian skating duo Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, civil rights lawyer Kiah Duggins, and 20-year-old Grace Maxwell.
The National Transportation Safety Board has recovered the black boxes from both aircraft involved. Investigations suggest staffing issues at the air traffic control tower may have contributed to the crash. A supervisor allowed one controller to manage both planes and helicopters, which deviated from normal procedures.
