A Georgia family is mourning the loss of their son, Sam Lilley, a pilot who was killed in a tragic collision between a small American Airlines plane and a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Timothy Lilley, Sam's father, spoke to FOX 5 Atlanta about the devastating incident. He believes the military helicopter likely made a fatal error. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
A family with connections to Georgia is mourning the loss of their loved one, who was one of the pilots killed in the tragic collision between a small American Airlines plane and a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night. Timothy Lilley, speaking to FOX 5 Atlanta from Washington, D.C., confirmed that his 28-year-old son, Sam Lilley, was one of the two pilots aboard the aircraft. He described the day as 'undoubtedly the worst day of my life.
' Timothy, a seasoned pilot himself, was in New York for work when news of the crash broke. He initially struggled to believe it involved his son's flight, but when Sam failed to check in, a routine practice, his worst fears were realized. Officials have stated that the military helicopter was engaged in a training exercise when the accident occurred. Timothy, who served 20 years as a helicopter pilot in the Army, understands the complexities of such operations. He shared his expertise, explaining that flying over the Potomac River at night while wearing night vision goggles would make it extremely difficult to spot a plane. Without the goggles, the visibility might improve slightly. Timothy believes that the commercial PSA jet likely followed proper procedures, but the military helicopter made a fatal error. He expressed his sorrow, stating, 'From what I can see, those guys turned right into the jet. I think the PSA jet was doing everything right. The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead.' Now, Timothy faces the agonizing wait for answers. He spent the night at the airport, filling out paperwork and being instructed to wait patiently. As the investigation progresses, his primary focus remains on gaining clarity about the circumstances that led to his son's death. Timothy, Sam, and their family have strong ties to the Savannah area. Sam also leaves behind a fiancé. Authorities fear that all 64 individuals aboard the American Airlines jet and the 3 soldiers on the Army helicopter perished in the crash. As of Thursday at 12 p.m., at least 28 bodies have been recovered from the icy waters of the Potomac River. Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration have joined the National Transportation Safety Board in leading the investigation into the midair collision
PLANE CRASH MILITARY HELICOPTER DC REGION SAM LILLY TIMOTHY LILLY SAVANNAH GEORGIA
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