The father of 28-year-old Sam Lilley, one of two pilots aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, is grappling with unimaginable grief after learning his son was killed in a catastrophic midair collision over Washington, D.C.
🔹 “It hurts so bad, I can’t even cry myself to sleep.” 🔹
That’s the heartbreaking message Timothy Lilley shared after receiving the devastating news.
The Tragic Collision
On the night of January 29, disaster struck when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The crash claimed the lives of all 60 passengers and four crew members on the commercial flight. The three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk are also feared dead.
A Father’s Worst Nightmare
Timothy Lilley, a former military helicopter pilot, was in New York when the crash happened. At first, he didn’t think much of it.
“When I saw the news, I never imagined my son was on that flight,” he told Fox 5.
But when Sam—who always checked in—never called, his worst fears became reality.
