Sam Lilley, the first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342, was killed when a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter collided with his plane. The catastrophic incident, which occurred during the plane's descent into Ronald Reagan International Airport on January 29, resulted in the death of all 67 people aboard both aircraft, marking the deadliest air disaster in the U.S. since 2001.
"[Sam] was doing great in his career," Timothy Lilley, Sam's father and a former Army helicopter pilot, told Fox News Digital. "He was doing great in his personal life, he was set to be married." Timothy, who served 20 years in the Army flying Black Hawk helicopters – the same type of aircraft that collided with his son's plane – is now leveraging his experience to push for change in aviation safety regulations.
CHRIS CHRISTIE PEAKS HIS HEAD OUT WITH A 'WARNING' FOR AMERICANS!
February 17, 2025
Timothy is calling on lawmakers and military officials to halt military flight operations at civilian airports, overhaul pilot training, and mandate the use of an operational Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) in Class B airspace. As reported by Timothy, military aircraft are currently not required to have TCAS when flying in Class B airspace, which includes the largest civilian airports in the country. "It's been said, and it is true, that most aviation regulations are written in blood," Lilley said. "That means that something terrible has to happen for us to make a change."
ELON MUSK'S AMERICA PAC HAS QUITE THE OFFER FOR VOTERS IN THIS STATE!
Timothy plans to testify before Congress and has reported that high-ranking Army officials have been receptive to his suggestions. His efforts aim to ensure that part of Sam's legacy is a future of safer skies.
Sam's passion for flying was likely inspired by his father's career as a pilot. After earning a degree in marketing and logistics from Georgia Southern University, Sam transitioned to aviation. He began flight training in 2019, obtained his commercial license the following year, and became a flight instructor. Two years prior to the crash, he started flying for PSA, American Airlines' regional airline. "If he stayed at PSA long enough, he was going to end up at American Airlines," Lilley said. "He wanted to be an international captain and fly the 777s to Europe and Asia."
ELLEN DEGENERES CUTS 'FINAL TIES' WITH THE U.S. WITH THIS MOVE!
In addition to his professional aspirations, Sam was engaged to his long-time girlfriend, Lydia, and they were planning to start a family. The day before the fatal crash, Sam's mother was scouting wedding venues for the couple's planned fall ceremony.
NETWORK PUTS SCHUMER ON THE SPOT: "ARE YOU MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE BIDEN DID?"
The tragic collision, which occurred on January 29, abruptly ended Sam's dreams. Timothy was in New York City for work when he first saw reports of the crash on the news. "I realized there had been a plane crash, which, of course, sparked my interest," Lilley said. "But the chance of it being Sam was one in a million." When he couldn't reach Sam, Timothy was confronted with the unthinkable reality.
DEVELOPING STORY: IRS AND ICE ARE JOINING FORCES ON A MISSION!
As a former Black Hawk pilot who flew the same Potomac route "hundreds of times," Timothy believes he can provide a unique perspective on the incident. "There are hundreds of things that could have gone wrong in there," Lilley said. "Maybe both pilots had their heads down looking at the radio at once, maybe they thought a different aircraft was that one, maybe they saw lights on the ground and thought it was the aircraft, maybe they were doing an emergency procedure training, and they were distracted by that. I don't know what happened in that cockpit."
DESANTIS SETS SIGHTS ON FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL FOR THIS MAJOR ROLE!
While the National Transportation Safety Board's complete investigation could take up to a year, a preliminary report is expected within 30 days. The investigation is also examining whether the airport's control tower was fully staffed at the time of the crash.
In the midst of this tragedy, Timothy finds solace among the families of other victims and in honoring his son's memory. His local Georgia community has rallied around their family, with his company sending a private jet to transport Sam’s loved ones to the crash site. "There were 67 people who lost their lives, and there were families there that had new widows and new orphans and who lost two children and Olympic hopefuls and high-caliber lawyers," Lilley said. "Every single person involved in this accident, I’d want to be friends with – both in the Black Hawk and in the [airplane]."
ROSIE O’DONNELL SUGGESTS THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN BY ELON MUSK
In addition to advocating for aviation safety, Timothy is exploring other ways to honor his son, including getting a tattoo in remembrance of Sam. PSA airlines has posthumously awarded Sam with the title of honorary captain, a testament to his technical expertise and the profound impact he had on their airline family. "It's a tragedy, these lives ended way before any of us were ready for it," Lilley told Fox News Digital.
