Ohio Connections to Fatal Washington, D.C. Plane Crash
(Last updated: January 31, 2025, 10:19 a.m)
A passenger flight operated by Dayton-based PSA Airlines collided with a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night. Officials confirmed no survivors among the 64 people on board the plane and three soldiers in the helicopter. Authorities have recovered 28 bodies so far and shifted from rescue to a recovery operation.
The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet, Flight 5342, was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. The airline, a subsidiary of American Airlines, was founded in Ohio in 1979. PSA Airlines recently announced plans to move its headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina— just hours before the crash.
PSA Airlines’ website, psaairlines.com, currently redirects to the American Airlines homepage. The landing page also has up-to-date information and updates about Flight 5342.
Three Ohio locals have been identified as victims of the fateful D.C. crash. Cincinnati woman Elizabeth Anne Keys (33) was flying back to Washington D.C. the night her plane fell. Her partner revealed she died on her birthday. Grace Maxwell (29) was also aboard Flight 5342 Wednesday night. She was a student at Cedarville University in Greene County, Ohio. A General Electric Aerospace employee from Cincinnati was identified as the third Ohio victim in the crash. No details about the third victim at this time.
The crash also deeply affected the figure skating community, with several skaters, coaches, and families from the recent U.S. Figure Skating Championships on board. An additional set of Ohio natives—Linzy Fitzpatrick of Toledo, Katie McBeath of Garfield Heights, and Eva Pate of Strongsville—are listed on the 2024-25 U.S. Figure Skating roster. Officials have not confirmed if they were among the passengers.
Six members of the Skating Club of Boston, including two teenagers, were also on the flight. U.S. Figure Skating said they are “devastated” over the tragedy and extended condolences to victims’ families on their sites homepage and social media accounts.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated both aircrafts followed standard flight patterns before the collision. Search efforts continue in the Potomac River, with freezing temperatures and low visibility.