Charlotte crew members remembered after deadly American Airlines jet crash with Army helicopter

People aboard the American Airlines jet that crashed Wednesday night with 
an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., are being identified, including 
some flight crew members had ties to Charlotte.

Photos have been released of several crew members that were based in 
Charlotte, home to an American Airlines hub that operates the majority of 
the airport’s flights.

WRAL News is learning more about the crew from their family and friends.

One of the victims, Ian Epstein, had a wife who took to social media to 
share that family members are now flying into D.C. to be together.

Epstein, who was a flight attendant on the flight, is remembered by 
friends as someone who always had a smile, even on the toughest days.

People from all over recall the impact he made, including those he 
encountered on flights.

"My husband and I looked at each other and said, 'That guy was on our 
flight!' And I said, 'Yes, I even have a picture of him,'" Lori Marchiando 
said.

Marchiando had taken a photo of Ian during a flight to Charlotte two years 
ago that appear to show him joking around with a child passenger.

"You could tell he absolutely loved his job. It didn’t feel like he was 
working; he just had a way of making people feel at ease," Marchiando 
said.

The pilot, Samuel Lilley, was only 28. Lilley's dad shared photos of his 
son on social media, describing him as excelling both professionally and 
personally.

Lilley was engaged to be married in the fall.

"It is so devastating to lose someone who’s loved this much," his father 
wrote.

WRAL News personally connected with Lilley’s father, who said his son grew 
up in Savannah and had worked for American Airlines for just over two 
years, a job he truly loved.

His sister also spoke about the pilot's love of his job.

"My dad helped him go to flight school, and then he worked really hard on 
that," she said. "It was a lot tougher than he thought it was going to be, 
but he pursued and kicked butt through it and then loved, he loved, loved, 
loved what he did."

The captain of the flight was Jonathan Campos, 34, according to multiple 
media reports. His aunt, Beverly Lane, told the New York Times that Campos 
had wanted to be a pilot since the age of 3 and was about to take a 
Caribbean cruise with family.

Danasia Elder was a flight attendant on the commercial flight, WSOC-TV in 
Charlotte reported.

Elder’s brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, described her as "full of life," 
highlighting her love for God, her kids and travel. She was married with 
two children.

Wendy Shaffer, a mother from Charlotte, was also on the plane. She is 
being remembered by her family, who has started a GoFundMe to support them 
through this tragedy.

"She was a radiant soul, a devoted wife to Nathan, and an incredible 
mother to her two beautiful boys ages 3 and 1," a friend wrote. "Her love, 
kindness, and unwavering spirit touched everyone who knew her, and her 
absence leaves a void that can never be filled."

Fourteen members of the U.S. Figure Skating community also died in the 
D.C. plane crash, including six from a club in Boston. Among them were 
Spencer Lane and 13-year-old Jinna Han, who were both in Wichita for a 
developmental camp. Their mothers were also on the plane, and their 
coaches, 1994 wo

Many people on the flight attended the U.S. Figure Skating Championships 
in Wichita last weekend. At the arena where that competition was help, a 
mourner left a message on the ice: "5432," the flight number of the plane.

The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were 
aboard the helicopter, including Ryan O'Hara.

The Associated Press reports Josh Muehlendorf, a senior instructor pilot 
in the U.S. Army, said Ryan "had such great integrity.”

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on the social platform X that the state 
was mourning the death of Andrew Eaves, who was also aboard the Army 
helicopter.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport released a statement, saying in 
part:

"Our hearts are shattered by the tragic events this week… We join the 
aviation community in offering our heartfelt condolences to the families, 
friends, passengers, and colleagues affected."

Officials on Thursday said all 64 people aboard the American Airlines 
flight were feared to be dead. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the 
Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the 
jet late Wednesday as it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport 
near Washington.

Officials report that staffing in the control tower was lower than usual 
at the time of the crash. The NTSB states there was no indication the 
flight crew had time to deploy the emergency slides—highlighting the speed 
at which the incident occurred.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein posted a message on X about the tragedy.

"My heart goes out to everyone who lost loved ones in the tragic DCA plane 
crash," his message read. "Anna and I are praying for all involved - 
including the families of the Charlotte-based crew members."

https://www.wral.com/story/charlotte-crew-members-remembered-after-deadly-
american-airlines-jet-crash-with-army-helicopter/21834808/