Prior to the tragic event that occurred on January 29, pilot Jonathan Campos, who was one of the two pilots of the American Airlines flight that crashed in mid-air with a helicopter belonging to the United States Army, had a painful farewell discussion with his family.
An uncle named John Lane, who was devastated by Campos’s passing, spoke to the pilot as “such a good kid.”
“As he was getting on the plane, I had a conversation with him. We talked for a total of ten minutes. It’s hard for me to belive. “He sounded like he was quite content,” Lane recalled.
A cruise aboard the Icon of the Seas, which was the cruise ship, was something that he was looking forward to going on the next week. During the vacation, ten members of his family were going to travel to Florida in order to accompany him. There was supposed to be a huge party on the occasion.
He had a passion for flying, and it was his dream. He was living the life of his heart. Lane went on to say that when he was a child, he used to play with toy airplanes. It was his goal to become qualified to fly larger aircraft. Simply put, we are ill at the moment. The condition of his mother is not good.
In 2015, Campos received his degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which is located in Florida.
Beverly Lane, his aunt, provided the following statement to The New York Times: “I think he wanted to be free, and be able to fly and soar like a bird with his wings.”
There was an homage made to Campos by the Academy. When we found out that Jonathan Campos was a pilot on the PSA Airlines flight that was involved in the horrible accident that occurred yesterday night in Washington, District of Columbia, we were overwhelmed with grief. Within our organization, Jonathan was able to achieve his Certified flying teacher rating, and he has been an invaluable flying teacher here.
“With an unmistakable enthusiasm for flying, he was a pilot who was both accomplished and dedicated to his craft. We would like to extend our most sincere sympathies to Jonathan’s family, friends, and all those who have lost their lives or been affected by this terrible event. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers as you go through this extremely trying time for you.
As soon as he heard that there was a catastrophe, the father of Sam Lilley, the other pilot aboard the plane that crashed and plummeted into the Potomac River, stated that he did not believe his son could have been involved in the accident.
After working for American Airlines for two years, Lilley, who was 29 years old at the time, was just a few months away from being promoted to the position of captain. His father had been a helicopter pilot in the military for twenty years, and he followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a pilot himself.
The number of bodies that have been recovered up to this point is forty, according to reporting. Due to the icy conditions of the river, the mission was made more challenging.
