Hispanic pilot dies in American Airlines Flight 5342 crash over Potomac

• Hispanic Pilot Dies in Crash
• Copilot Was Recently Engaged
• 14 Figure Skaters Were on Board

The pilot of American Airlines Flight 5342, which crashed into the Potomac River, was a Hispanic resident of Florida.

Jonathan Jay Campos, 34, lived in Ormond Beach, a small city in Volusia County.

He was born in New York but grew up and built his professional career in Florida.

Campos graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2015.

The Career and Passion for Flying of Jonathan Campos

In 2017, he obtained his pilot’s license from Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach.

“We are heartbroken to learn that Jonathan Campos was the pilot aboard the PSA Airlines flight,” the academy expressed in a statement.

“He was a skilled and dedicated pilot with an undeniable passion for flying,” the institution added on social media.

The copilot of the aircraft was Samuel Lilley, 29, who had recently announced his engagement.

The U.S. Figure Skating Association confirmed that 14 figure skaters were on board.

The athletes were returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas, when the accident occurred in Washington, D.C.

Jonathan Jay Campos earned his flight instructor certification at Epic Flight Academy.

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«He served as a valuable flight instructor here,» the academy highlighted in a Facebook post.

The tragic crash has caused shockwaves in both the aviation and sports communities.

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