Crew members on board the passenger jet that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter and crashed two weeks ago near Washington, D.C., have been awarded posthumous honors by the regional airline that operated their plane.
American Eagle Flight 5342 plunged into the Potomac River on the night of Jan. 29, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan International Airport. The plane and military helicopter, piloted by three soldiers, struck each other in midair as Flight 5342 approached the airport’s runway, causing both to go down. Everyone in both aircraft was killed. Exactly what caused the deadly collision, and how the events unfolded leading up to it, are under investigation.
PSA Airlines, the regional airline that operated the American Eagle flight, announced Sunday that each crew member on board the plane has been given an honorary award considered the company’s highest distinction for employees. PSA Airlines and American Eagle are regional subsidiaries of American Airlines.
The crew’s captain Jonathan Campos, first officer Samuel Lilley and flight attendants Danasia Elder and Ian Epstein have received the PSA Honorary President’s Award, “the highest honor a PSA team member can receive,” which PSA said “represents the very best of our airline.”
“It is a peer-nominated honor and based on the company-wide outpouring of support for our lost colleagues, we cannot think of a more moving or sincere tribute than having all 5,000 team members nominate our fallen colleagues,” the airline said in a statement.
Family members of Campos, Lilley, Elder and Epstein will receive commemorative certificates, the statement continued, noting PSA has “been focused on caring for the families and loved ones of all lost on that flight.”
The airline has also given Lilley an honorary captain’s title.
“Throughout his tenure at PSA Airlines, Samuel Lilley exemplified the highest standards of aviation excellence, demonstrating exceptional airmanship, unwavering dedication to safety, and extraordinary professionalism that inspired all who had the privilege of flying alongside him,” said PSA. “The title of Honorary Captain reflects not only his technical expertise but also the profound impact he had on our airline family. His legacy will forever serve as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the dedication, skill, and integrity that define the very best in our profession.”
