Emergency crews continue their grim search along the Potomac River after a devastating midair collision Wednesday night between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. At least eight Maryland residents are confirmed among the 67 fatalities, officials said Friday.
Army Confirms Soldier Among the Dead
The U.S. Army identified Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, a 39-year-old resident of Great Mills, Maryland, as one of the three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk. Eaves, a former Navy serviceman who transitioned to the Army in 2017 to pilot Black Hawks, was among those lost in the crash. As of Friday night, his remains had not yet been recovered from the river.
Officials say his status remains “whereabouts unknown” until a recovery is made. The Army continues its efforts to locate all three crew members from the downed helicopter.
Promising Young Skater and Her Mother Among the Victims
Among those aboard American Eagle Flight 5342 were several young athletes returning from a figure skating event in Wichita, Kansas. Olivia Eve Ter, a well-known figure skater from Prince George’s County, and her mother, Olesya, were among the casualties.
A beloved member of the Tucker Road Ice Rink community, Olivia was traveling with other skaters, coaches, and parents when tragedy struck. Friends and fellow skaters expressed their grief online, remembering the teenager as a dedicated athlete and a kind-hearted friend.
Union Members Caught in the Tragedy
Labor unions in Prince George’s County confirmed Friday that five of their members were among the passengers aboard Flight 5342. The group had been on a duck-hunting trip and was returning home when the collision occurred.
- Jesse Pitcher, 30, a Calvert County resident and member of UA Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 5, was on the ill-fated flight.
- United Association Steamfitters Local 602 identified four of its members as victims:
- Michael “Mikey” Stovall, 40, of Waldorf
- Charles “Charlie” McDaniel, 44
- Jonathan D. Boyd, 40
- Alexander “Alex” Huffman, 34
Union leaders expressed deep sorrow, calling the accident a “heartbreaking loss” for the close-knit trade community.
The Tragic Moments Before Impact
The crash occurred at approximately 8:48 p.m. Wednesday, just as American Airlines Flight 5342—a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operated by American Eagle—was making its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The jet was flying over the Potomac River when it collided with the Army’s Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, which was conducting a training mission from Fort Belvoir.
The impact sent both aircraft into the icy waters below. Officials said the crash was so severe that no one aboard the plane or helicopter survived. The 67 victims included 60 passengers and four crew members from the jet, along with three soldiers on the helicopter.
Search and Investigation Progress
By Friday, authorities had recovered 40 bodies from the river. Efforts to retrieve the remaining victims continue, with search teams using sonar and divers to locate wreckage and human remains. Cold temperatures and strong currents have complicated recovery operations.
Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that both aircraft’s flight data recorders—the so-called “black boxes”—had been recovered. These devices will be critical in determining how the two aircraft came into conflict in controlled airspace so close to the airport.
A preliminary report is expected within a month, but the full investigation could take more than a year, officials warned.
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