Former Army Aviator Champions Safety Reform After Son’s Fatal Collision

Tim Lilley, father of PSA pilot killed in D.C. midair, says ‘there were failures on multiple levels.’

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, October 09, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Sam Lilley served as the first officer on the PSA Airlines flight involved in the fatal midair over the Potomac River in January. [Courtesy: Sam Lilley]

Key Takeaways:

A mid-air collision over the Potomac River between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a PSA Airlines CRJ-700 killed all 67 occupants, ending a decades-long streak of no fatal accidents for U.S.-based scheduled carriers.
Tim Lilley, father of the CRJ's first officer and an experienced Black Hawk pilot, attributes the accident to multiple failures, including poorly designed helicopter routes, Army leadership errors, ATC mistakes, and Black Hawk pilot error.
Lilley is advocating for swift safety reforms, such as extending helicopter route restrictions and requiring all DoD aircraft to continuously use ADS-B out during training missions.
He criticizes the Army for its perceived lack of accountability and questions their description of the Black Hawk crew as "highly experienced," noting their flight hours were significantly less than civilian minimums or even the junior pilot on the regional jet.

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On a brisk night over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., a decades-long streak of no fatal accidents involving a U.S.-based scheduled carrier abruptly ended. Just southeast of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) on January 29, an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a PSA Airlines CRJ-700, killing all 67 on board both aircraft.

The regional jet was operating flight AA5342— a daily service from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington. PAT25— the Black Hawk’s call sign—was flying a continuity of government training exercise around the capital region. In the wake of the accident, the families of those lost have pushed for swift safety reforms. Perhaps none have been as outspoken as Tim Lilley, whose son Sam was the first officer on the PSA flight.