Pilot killed in midair collision over Washington, D.C. remembered by Central Florida friends | FOX 35 Orlando
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Pilot killed in midair collision over Washington, D.C. remembered by Central Florida friends

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Published  February 1, 2025 12:33am EST
Volusia County
FOX 35 Orlando

Pilots killed in midair collision D.C. remembered by friends

Among the victims of the deadly crash involving a jet plane and helicopter over Washington, D.C. are two pilots with ties to Central Florida. Captain Jonathan Campos attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, where he formed strong connections with friends and mentors.

The Brief

    • A midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., killed multiple people, including pilots Jonathan Campos and Sam Lilley, who had ties to Central Florida.
    • Campos, remembered as an adventurous and passionate aviator, left a lasting impact on friends and mentors.
    • The crash remains under investigation by the NTSB and the FAA.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Among the victims of the deadly crash involving a jet plane and helicopter over Washington, D.C. on Wednesday are two pilots with ties to Central Florida.

Captain Jonathan Campos and First Officer Sam Lilley were flying an American Airlines plane hit by an Army Black Hawk helicopter.

‘He was passionate and very understanding ’

What we know:

The crash involved an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C. 

Campos and three other crew members, along with 60 passengers, died in the collision. Three people aboard the Black Hawk helicopter also lost their lives. Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.

Campos attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, where he formed strong connections with friends, like Brandon Jones, and mentors, such as Tracy Grubbs, who was Campos’ diving instructor. They both remember him as a passionate and skilled person and his death has left a deep impact on them.

What we don't know:

Investigators have not yet determined what led to the midair collision. It remains unclear whether mechanical failure, human error, or other external factors played a role. Officials have yet to release information on potential air traffic control communications leading up to the crash.

What they're saying:

Jones said he and Campos bonded over one of his many passions: cars.

"Motorcycles and airplanes, LEGOS and all kinds of stuff, he... Had different hobbies," Jones said.

The two met over a decade ago when Campos was studying at Embry-Riddle.

"He was a big part of a lot of things, a lot of people's lives," Jones said.

Jones learned of the crash late Wednesday night and said he was left in disbelief.

"[it's] one of those things that you think, like, can’t happen to me or, you know, people that you know," he explained.

Jones said this has all reminded him of the importance of staying connected with friends loved ones. 

"There's no promised tomorrow," he said. "Make sure you message them and deal with them as much as you can." 

Grubbs, now the Vice Mayor of Port Orange, echoed similar sentiments, calling the loss tragic and remembering Campos for his adventurous spirit.

"It’s just tragic," who now serves as Tracy Grubbs, Port Orange Vice Mayor. "Tracy Grubbs, Port Orange Vice Mayor "He was passionate and very understanding and great at what he did."

The backstory:

Campos piloted the American Airlines regional jet out of Wichita, Kansas with 60 passengers and three other crew members onboard. The UH-60 Black Hawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia was on a training exercise carrying three soldiers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Skies were clear.

A few minutes before the Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-700 series twin-engine jet was to land, air traffic controllers asked AA Flight 5342 if it could use a shorter runway. The pilots agreed. Controllers cleared the landing. Flight-tracking sites show the plane adjusting its approach to the new runway.

Less than 30 seconds before the collision, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the plane in sight. The military pilot responded yes.

Moments later the controller made another call to the helicopter, apparently telling the copter to wait for the jet to pass.

There was no reply and the aircraft collided.

The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet (732 meters) short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the Potomac, and the plane was found upside-down in three sections in waist-deep water. The helicopter’s wreckage was also found in the river.

Latest on investigation:

By Friday afternoon, crews had recovered 41 bodies and 28 had been positively identified. NTSB investigators have recovered the voice recorder and flight data recorder from the plane and the helicopter's black box.

Federal investigators will try to piece together any communication between the two aircraft and air traffic controllers, other pilot actions and the aircraft altitudes.

A key question early in the investigation is how high the helicopter was flying, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday on Fox News. Its maximum altitude allowed was 200 feet (about 60 meters), said Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation.

It wasn’t immediately clear if it went higher: Koziol said investigators need to analyze flight data before making conclusions about altitude.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by friends and mentors of Jonathan Campos, and the Associated Press.

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