American Airlines Jet and Army Helicopter Collide Over Potomac River, Killing All 67 on Board

Sam Lilley, 28, was one of the pilots on the American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C. His father, Timothy Lilley, told Fox 5 Atlanta that his son was engaged to be married and that the family has ties to Savannah, Georgia.

Sam Lilley was in the cockpit at the time of the accident. His father realized this when he noticed that his son had not checked in after the flight, as he always does. Timothy Lilley spent Wednesday evening at the airport, filling out forms as he waited for answers about his son.

Timothy Lilley himself served as an Army helicopter pilot for 20 years. He said that he has flown a similar route over the Potomac River and that if you are flying on the route over the Potomac and wearing night vision goggles, it's going to be very hard to see that plane. He added that the Army pilot made a grave error and that it hurts him because those are his brothers, and now his son is dead.

Ian Epstein has been identified by his wife as a flight attendant aboard the American Airlines flight. Epstein's wife, Debi, told Queen City News her husband "died doing what he loved."

Ryan O'Hara was identified as the crew chief on the Black Hawk helicopter. O'Hara was also honored by his former high school, Parkview High in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

The military helicopter, flown by "fairly experienced" crew members, was conducting "a required annual night evaluation," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

Emergency crews have recovered at least 28 bodies as of Thursday afternoon. All flights in and out of Reagan National Airport also resumed at 11 a.m. Thursday.