Channel 9 is learning that victims, who tragically died in the Washington, D.C., mid-air collision, have connections to the Charlotte area.
A PSA Airlines flight crew based in Charlotte was in the crash involving an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., a source said.
The collision occurred on Wednesday night as the American Airlines regional flight 5342, carrying 64 passengers and crew from Wichita, Kansas, was on its final approach to land at Reagan National Airport. The Black Hawk helicopter, with three Army soldiers on board, was on a training flight from Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Officials have confirmed that there are no expected survivors from this accident.
Traveler Steven Dittmer said he was flying back home to D.C. from Charleston, but the experience was different this time.
“Typically I’m not nervous. I fly all the time; I go and travel quite a bit for my job,” Dittmer said. “But going to the airport, my stomach was in knots all day because I found out there were a couple of people on the flight from my hometown. I was extremely nervous and sat down on my seat and prayed, so that’s all I can do.”
Another traveler, Marcella Anderson, told Channel 9 that she was flying out of the D.C. airport to return home to Milwaukee. She said she volunteers with the Red Cross, as well as teaches first aid.
She said she had a bit of anxiety, “but I have trust that the pilot knows his job.”
Here are the crew members and passengers from our area who were onboard:
Danasia Elder
Danasia Elder, a flight attendant on the flight from Wichita to D.C., leaves behind her husband and two children, Cayden and Dallas.
Elder’s brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, described her as “full of life,” highlighting her love for God, her kids, and travel.
Danasia Elder loved God, her kids and travel. The Charlotte woman was a flight attendant on last night’s flight from Wichita to DC. Her brother in law tells me she was full of life. She leaves behind a husband and two children, Kayden and Dallas @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/ngmnHuRqkm
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) January 30, 2025
“She was a great wife, a great parent, a great friend,” Payne said. “She was very bright, very smart. She was an entrepreneur. This flight attendant thing was kind of like one of her dreams she wanted to do.”
Payne said he is proud of his sister-in-law for pursuing her dream, and he wants everyone to know that she would want people to pursue their dreams.
“She’ll would want y’all do the same thing she did. Chase your dreams, no matter what. Don’t let nothing scare you, push you away. Just believe in yourself, believe in God, and follow the path,” Payne said.
Sam Lilley
Samuel Lilley, the first officer on board American Airlines Flight 5342, recently got engaged, said his sister, Tiffany Gibson.
“He was an amazing person. He loved people. He loved adventure. He loved traveling. He was excited. He was young. He was so young, and he was excited about life and his future and getting a dog and a house and kids. And it’s just, this is just tragic,” she told ABC News.
Samuel Lilley’s former brother-in-law, Greg Gibson, remembered him for his passion for flying and willingness to help others.
Samuel Lilley died on the same flight path his father, Timothy Lilley, flew for years. Timothy Lilley flew Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, transporting passengers over the Potomac River from his base in Virginia.
“We were stationed in Virginia, and [Timothy Lilley] flew that same route back and forth to the Pentagon, over and over and over again until he retired,” Tiffany Gibson said. -ABC News’ Peter Charalambous
Ian Epstein
Ian Epstein, a former Camping World salesman and current flight attendant, was known for his ability to make people smile.
“Ian Epstein made everyone smile,” said those who knew him.
His former coworkers at Camping World in Concord praised his skills as one of the best salesmen in the company.
“He was really very talented in getting people what they wanted, just making them feel at ease, comfortable, like they were a part of his family,” said Jennifer Cagle, a former coworker.
That’s why she wasn’t surprised at his decision to become a flight attendant. Technician David Davis says Epstein was an adventurer who would go above and beyond for anyone he met.
“He just always goes the extra mile, you know, to really just help them out,” Davis said.
Ian Epstein made everyone smile. Before he was a flight attendant, the Charlotte resident sold campers at Camping World in Concord. His former coworkers tell me he was especially skilled and in his time there, he was one of the best salesmen in the company @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/AL8IRk2RDc
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) January 30, 2025
Clint Grant told Channel 9 that every time Ian Epstein was his flight attendant, he always knew there would be humor on board.
“All of a sudden, this guy just pops out of nowhere and takes the mic, and he starts cracking jokes and poking fun,” Grant said. “He greeted everybody with levity, with humor, with light, and he was just, just, just a, seem to be a great guy.”
Grant said his first flight with Epstein was supposed to be a quick 30-minute trip from Knoxville to Charlotte, but it quickly turned into a 45-minute delay.
He said there was only one person who made the waiting period a bit easier to get through.
“The fact that there was a delay—poking fun at, you know, the fact that we had to stand around. And how, you know, much of a nuisance it was. Completely changed the energy of the entire concourse,” said Grant. “My heart goes out to him and his family and, you know, all the others that were lost on this, you know, tragic event.”
Wendy Shaffer
Wendy Shaffer, a mother of two young children, was a passenger onboard the flight.
#Breaking: A Charlotte mother was killed in the tragic plane crash in DC, according to a GoFundMe page set up by friends.
Wendy Shaffer leaves behind a husband, and two children ages 3 and 1. Please pray for this family and help them out if you can.https://t.co/ft4U8oFTXX
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) January 30, 2025
Friends said she had a radiant soul.
Her friends say, her boys were her pride and joy, and she dedicated her life to creating a warm, loving home with laughter and care.
The crash has left a significant impact on the families and communities of those involved, as they mourn the loss of loved ones and remember their vibrant lives.
Channel 9 is working on confirming the pilot’s identity.
The crash, which occurred just after 8:45 p.m., is the deadliest commercial plane crash in the United States in over 15 years. Both aircraft were reportedly in their standard flight patterns in a busy air corridor with clear night skies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has promised a thorough investigation into the incident, assuring the public that safety remains a top priority. Recovery efforts continue as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the collision.