The pilots of the American Eagle jet that crashed in the middle of the sky over Washington, D.C., have been identified as Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Samuel Lilley.
Two pilots and multiple flight attendants were among the victims of Thursday night’s tragic collision in Washington, DC, between an American Eagle aircraft and a Black Hawk helicopter.
First Officer Samuel Lilley, 28, and Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, were among the dead. When Timothy Lilley, Lilley’s father and a pilot himself, learned that his son was in the fateful cockpit, he was in New York on business.
He said, “This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life,” in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta, expressing the depth of his grief.
The 29-year-old Lilley was only a few months away from being elevated to captain. His father, Timothy, later told the “Daily Mail,” “And he loved doing his job.”
According to his father, Timothy Lilley, Samuel Lilley was in his prime, engaged to a “beautiful, wonderful girl,” and his family was looking forward to meeting her.
“I watched the crash on television. He recalled, “I didn’t think it was my son in any way.” “However, after observing for a while, I discovered that it was my son’s airline, and I was somewhat familiar with his schedule.”
Then Thimoty contacted his son’s fiancée. After confirming over the phone with his fiancée, I had to tell her. It was merely an unsightly scene.
“You know what, for five or ten minutes, I was fine. After that, I sobbed for ten minutes. It’s an extremely unpleasant pill to take. He told the Daily Mail
Timothy took some comfort in his son’s faith despite the overwhelming grief. “But the part that makes it a little easier is that my son knows Jesus,” he said. I’m still left behind, though. All of us are abandoned. A lot of people loved him.
Campos, Jonathan
Originally from New York, Jonathan Campos grew up in Florida, where he developed a strong love for flying.
He began his career at the Epic Flight Academy, where he obtained his flight instructor certification in 2017. According to academy records, he fulfilled his dream of flying for a commercial airline just a year later.
Hector Campos, his uncle, described Jonathan’s commitment to his work as “loving it.” Hector expressed their collective shock, saying, “We just confirmed the news,” as the family struggles to process the heartbreaking news. We are totally stunned.
