At least 5 with ties to Charlotte died in American Airlines DC crash, including crew
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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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One of the flight attendants on American Eagle Flight 5342 was known for going out of his way to put passengers at ease if they were afraid of flying. The other was “a great friend” with young kids.
The captain of the Charlotte-based crew loved to “fly and soar like a bird,” while his first officer couldn’t wait to get married soon and start a family. And one of their passengers was a “radiant soul” from Charlotte and mom to two young boys.
They all perished Wednesday night over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., along with dozens of others, when their plane collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter.
A total of 67 people died in the crash — 60 passengers, the four crew members on the PSA Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, and three people on the military chopper. PSA is a subsidiary of American Airlines.
One of the worst aviation disasters in recent years reverberated across the country this week, from the Kansas plains to uptown Charlotte.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles noted on X Thursday that several of the victims were from Charlotte. “I ask our community to wrap our arms around our neighbors who have been impacted by these tragic events to support them , love them and lift them up.”
Ian Epstein made flying fun
Ian Epstein was identified by family members as a crew member on the plane.
“It is with a very heavy heart and extreme sadness that myself along with our (family) inform you that Ian Epstein was one of the flight attendants on American Airlines Flight 5342 that collided last night when they were landing in DC,” Debi Epstein wrote in a Facebook message. She is the former wife of Ian Epstein. “Please pray for Ian and our family as we travel to DC. We will update when plans are made.”
In a brief phone interview Thursday with The Charlotte Observer, Debi Epstein said that her former husband “made flying fun for the passengers on the plane so they didn’t get scared. He was always the jokester and just doing the announcements with the twist.”
She said they had two children who are struggling with the loss of their father.
“Our daughter is getting married in eight weeks,” Debi Epstein said. “It’s just a lot.”
She said Ian Epstein was an outgoing person and “he died doing what he absolutely loved.”
His family released a statement about his death: “Ian Epstein was full of life,” they said. “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.
“The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support we’ve received, but at this time we would ask for privacy as we process and grieve our loss.”
Ian Epstein turned 53 last month, online records show.
Before becoming a flight attendant, he was the top seller of RVs at Camping World in Concord, Observer news partner WSOC reported.
On the Threads app, user Denise Figaro said Epstein was planning a meet-up in Mint Hill on Sunday before leaving for Charlotte. “Rest well, Ian,” she wrote. “You touched so many lives! Let this be a reminder to cherish every moment and live each day to the fullest.”
At a news conference Thursday morning in Washington, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said of the crash: “This is devastating. We are all hurting.” He also praised the work of the first responders.
‘Radiant soul’ Wendy Shaffer was a passenger from Charlotte
Wendy Shaffer, a Charlotte mother who died aboard the flight, was a “radiant soul, a devoted wife… and an incredible mother to her two beautiful boys,” friends wrote in a verified GoFundMe posted Thursday.
Her sons, Shields and Bennett, are 3 and 1, respectively, according to the page.
Shaffer “was the heart of her family… (who) dedicated her life to creating a warm, loving home filled with laughter and care,” according to the GoFundMe.
The page, which had raised $116,000 of its $190,000 goal as of Thursday evening, was created to “ease the financial burden” the family faces and ensure “the boys have the resources they need to thrive and that the family can focus on healing and honoring Wendy’s memory.”
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Samuel Lilley couldn’t wait to get married
The first officer, 28-year-old Samuel Lilley, was one of the crew members from Charlotte, his sister confirmed.
“He was a fun, adventurous son and brother,” said Lilley’s sister, Tiffany Gibson, 42, in a phone interview. “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.”
Gibson said that despite the 13-year age difference, the pair developed a special bond since she took so much care of him as a baby when she was a teen. He recently visited her and her family in Goldsboro with his fiancee, and had plans to visit again soon.
He worked for the airline for about two years, according to American Airlines.
It came as a shock to the entire family when they learned the news of his death, 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.”
Their father was in the army, Gibson said, and had a career as a pilot. Despite this, Lilley tried his hand at a marketing career but quickly realized it wasn’t a good fit and decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Finishing flight school wasn’t easy for Lilley, Gibson said, but once he did he fell in love with his new career.
“We take (heart) in the fact that we know that he’s with Jesus,” Gibson said.
Flight attendant Danasia Elder was full of life
Danasia Elder was a flight attendant who was full of life according to her brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, WSOC reported.
She leaves behind a husband and two children, Kayden and Dallas. “She was a great wife, a great parent, a great friend,” Payne told the outlet.
Many people and organizations on social media showed an outpouring of support for her.
On Facebook, Rebecca Cavaliere said she was devastated to learn that her friend died in the crash along with the other crew members. Cavaliere was in the same PSA training group last year and they had worked together several times, according to her post.
“Please pray for her family, her young children and husband at this time,” she wrote. “She was the sweetest human and I can’t imagine what her family is going through right now.”
Pilot Jonathan Campos was a proud New Yorker
The New York Times identified the pilot as Jonathan Campos, 34. His death was also cited by a Florida news station, WKMG.
He worked for the airline for about six years, American Airlines said.
On social media, people who knew Campos paid tribute to him, remembering his kindness and sense of humor. They and his family could not immediately be reached by The Charlotte Observer on Thursday.
“I think he wanted to be free, and be able to fly and soar like a bird,” his aunt told the New York Times.
She said the job allowed him to travel from his Florida home and try new things. He was raised in Brooklyn, New York, she said. One friend online remembered him as a proud New Yorker.
“Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Captain Jonathan Campos (Aeronautical Science, ‘15),” his alma mater said in a statement to the Observer. “Our thoughts are with his family and the families and loved ones of all impacted by this tragic accident.”
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Database editor Gavin Off, business editor Adam Bell and reporters Julia Coin and Ryan Oehrli contributed.
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 1:03 PM with the headline "At least 5 with ties to Charlotte died in American Airlines DC crash, including crew."
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