What happened
Doug Lane lost his wife and oldest son on American Eagle AA5342 and is publishing firsthand posts about the hours and days after the crash. One Mile at a Time points to the series, which opens with a piece titled Finding Competence and Compassion.
An American Eagle Bombardier CRJ-700 collided with a military helicopter near Washington National Airport on January 29, 2025. The collision killed 67 people, including 64 onboard the regional jet. The flight carried 11 young figure skaters returning from a Wichita competition. Lane writes about the wait for confirmation and about reaching the airline before going to the crash site.
A memorial dog park in Barrington, Rhode Island, honors his wife Christine, with 67 boulders planned for each person killed. The park is already in basic use and still raising money. The crash was a rare U.S. fatal accident, and Lane's account shows both how safe commercial flying usually is and how devastating the loss is for families left behind. The posts are worth reading, and the Christine Conrad Lane Memorial Dog Park in Barrington is accepting support.
- Numbers
- 67 people: total fatalities in the collision
- 64 people: fatalities onboard the regional jet
- 11 people: young figure skaters on the flight
- 67 boulders: planned memorial stones for each person killed
- Where
- Washington National Airport (DCA), Wichita (ICT), Barrington, Rhode Island
- Takeaway
- Read Lane’s posts if you can, and consider supporting the Christine Conrad Lane Memorial Dog Park if you are inclined.