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 fatal mid-air collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a PSA Airlines CRJ-700 near Washington, D.C., killed all 67 onboard, ending a long safety streak for U.S.-based scheduled carriers.
Tim Lilley, a veteran Army pilot whose son was the CRJ's first officer, attributes the accident to multiple systemic and human failures, including poorly designed helicopter routes, Army leadership negligence, ATC errors, and Black Hawk pilot errors.
Lilley is advocating for immediate safety reforms, specifically the extension of helicopter route restrictions and mandatory, always-on ADS-B out for all military training aircraft.
He also criticizes the Army's uncooperative response and challenges their description of the Black Hawk crew as "highly experienced," citing their relatively low flight hours compared to civilian standards.

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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.