The dad of one of the two pilots flying the American Airlines plane which crashed as it was landing at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has spoken about the incident involving his son.
The airliner plane was landing in Washington DC on its way from Wichita, Kansas, when it collided with an army helicopter and both vehicles plummeted into the nearby Potomac River.
The pilot’s father spoke out

Timothy Lilley is the father of American Airlines pilot Sam Lilley who was one of the pair of pilots flying the plane.
The father spoke to Fox 5 after the tragedy struck, saying, “This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life.”
The father was in New York when it happened
Lilley explained that he was in New York when he first heard news of a crash, saying, “I really didn’t think there was any way that was my son.”
The father knew something was wrong when his son didn’t check in with him after the flight as the two were used to.
No survivors from the crash
On Friday morning, Fire and Emergency Medical Services chief John Donnelly shared that there have been at least 40 bodies recovered from the Potomac River since the crash, according to Sky News.
The US President has also confirmed that “there are no survivors expected.”
The pilot and his father both loved flying
The father and son pair shared a love for aviation. Sam had started his flight training in 2019 and worked with PSA Airlines, a part of the American Airlines group.
His father, Timothy, served 20 years in the army as a helicopter pilot.
The father spoke about flying
“In the ’90s, I used to fly in and out of the Pentagon regularly, and I can tell you if you are flying on the route over the Potomac and wearing night vision goggles, it’s going to be very hard to see that plane,” the dad said.
The dad claimed the helicopter made the mistake
“If you’re not wearing the goggles, then you might have a chance,” he added.
The father also claimed that the military helicopter which collided into the plane was the one who made the mistake, “From what I can see, those guys turned right into the jet.”
Lilley has his theory on what happened
Having been a helicopter pilot for the army himself, the father gave his two cents on what could have happened, claiming that the army helicopter was at fault.
“I think the PSA jet was doing everything right. The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead,” he said.
There is no official cause yet
Officials have yet to announce the exact cause of the collision as they investigate black boxes recovered from the American Airlines jet.
The pilot’s father has demanded clarity on what actually happened, with DC Fire now having completed the search of all accessible areas from the site.
Last Updated on January 31, 2025 by Nour Morsy