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≡ AA 5342 CRASH ≡
The Associated Press reported on a horrific in-air collision of a commercial flight with an Army helicopter on Wednesday evening:
“Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.
“‘U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.,’ U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.
“‘We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.’”
The flight, with 60 passengers and four crew, was coming from Wichita to Reagan National Airport (DCA) just outside of Washington, D.C.; according to the Federal Aviation Administration:
“A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time. PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas.”
/Updates/ John Donnelly, the Washington D.C. Fire Chief, said Thursday morning that “we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident.”
The Russian news agency TASS said that Russian Olympic skaters Vadim Naumov and wife Yevgeniya Shishkova, the 1994 World Pairs Champions, were on the plane. They competed in the 1992 Winter Games for the Unified Team (fourth) and in 1994 in Lillehammer (fifth).
They have lived in the U.S. since 1998 and their son Maxim Naumov (born 2001, not on the plane) was the 2020 U.S. national junior champion. The Skating Club of Boston said that Naumov and Shishkova were club coaches and were killed along with skaters Spencer Lane and Jinna Han (both 16), and their mothers, Christine Lane and Jin Han.
Also on the plane was Irina Volyanskaya, 59, a former Soviet Pairs skater, the 1980 national bronze medalist with Valery Spiridonov.
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