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‘Loved and adored’ first officer based out of Charlotte died in DC plane crash, sister says

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American Airlines plane crash in Washington

American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2025. Authorities said no one survived, including a Charlotte-based crew. Here is ongoing coverage from The Charlotte Observer.

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Editor’s Note: In the wake of the worst aviation disaster in the United States in years, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas City Star, Charlotte Observer and other McClatchy journalists from across the country are working to tell the story of each person who lost their life in the crash. Read all of their stories here.

Tiffany Gibson was supposed to see her little brother Samuel Lilley soon. He had just visited her family in Goldsboro with his fiancee, but the siblings were already making plans for the next visit.

But the family was shocked to learn that Lilley, 28, was among the 67 people who died in the PSA Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C., Wednesday night. There were 60 passengers and four Charlotte-based crew members on the jet and three people on the military chopper.

Gibson confirmed in a phone interview with The Charlotte Observer that Lilley was the first officer on the American Eagle jet.

“He was a fun, adventurous son and brother,” Gibson said. “I have three kids that he was an uncle to. He was the ‘funcle’. They all loved and adored him. And he loved traveling and he loved flying.”

Despite the 13-year age difference, Gibson said, the siblings developed a special bond since she took so much care of him as a baby when she was a teen. And he had a lot to look forward, Gibson said.

“He was soon to be a husband and he was excited about that,” Gibson said. “He was excited to start a family and get a dog.”

Samuel Lilley, 28, was first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342, the flight that collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. Lilley was one of 67 people killed, and one of several with ties to the Charlotte area.
Samuel Lilley, 28, was first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342, the flight that collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. Lilley was one of 67 people killed, and one of several with ties to the Charlotte area. Courtesy of Tiffany Gibson

Second career as pilot

While their father, who was in the army, spent his career as a pilot, Lilley didn’t initially follow in his footsteps. He tried his hand at a marketing career at first, Gibson said. But he quickly realized it wasn’t a good fit and, after discussing it with their dad, decided to go to flight school and become a pilot.

It could be challenging at times for Lilley, Gibson said, but he was able to push through and finish. Not only was he proud of himself for finishing school, she said, but he also discovered he loved being a pilot.

“He may have struggled ... but he was willing to put in the effort and work, and that’s what got him to where he was,” Gibson said. “His motto is: ‘You can do anything that you put your mind to, even if it’s hard.’”

The sudden loss of Lilley has been difficult, Gibson said, and the family is still in disbelief about what happened.

But “we take (heart) in the fact that we know that he’s with Jesus,” Gibson said.

Observer database editor Gavin Off contributed to this report

Samuel Lilley, 28, was first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342, the flight that collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. Lilley was one of 67 people killed, and one of several with ties to the Charlotte area.
Samuel Lilley, 28, was first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342, the flight that collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. Lilley was one of 67 people killed, and one of several with ties to the Charlotte area. Courtesy of Tiffany Gibson

This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM with the headline "‘Loved and adored’ first officer based out of Charlotte died in DC plane crash, sister says."

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Jeff A. Chamer
The Charlotte Observer
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Jeff A. Chamer is a breaking news reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He’s lived a few places, but mainly in Michigan where he grew up. Before joining the Observer, Jeff covered K-12 and higher education at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in Massachusetts.
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American Airlines plane crash in Washington

American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2025. Authorities said no one survived, including a Charlotte-based crew. Here is ongoing coverage from The Charlotte Observer.

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