Several members of the U.S. figure skating community died in the midair collision of a passenger jet and an Army helicopter. Spencer Lane was among them - returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp.

Washington

A regional jet carrying 64 people collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC.

D.C. Crash

Several members of the U.S. figure skating community, including Spencer Lane, tragically lost their lives in a midair collision involving a passenger jet and an Army helicopter. Spencer Lane was returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp when the accident occurred. He had posted a photo on Instagram before taking off on American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas. Spencer was traveling with his mother, Christine Lane. 

The Lanes, who had adopted Spencer and his brother from South Korea, were an integral part of the figure skating community. Spencer had even left high school to pursue his talent for figure skating, having shown significant promise by mastering his triples in just a few years. He was affiliated with the Skating Club of Boston, which mourned the loss of two skaters, their mothers, and two coaches in the crash. 

Among those who perished was thirteen-year-old Jina Han and her mother, both from the Boston Skating Club, as well as world champion skaters and coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Namov. The Russian-born couple had relocated to the United States after their competitive careers and established themselves as respected figures in the coaching scene. 

The tragedy affected many, including Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, a member of the Boston club, who visited to honor those lost. The emotion and impact of the tragedy resonate through the clubs across the country, showing the deep connections within the skating community.



Figure skater’s final photo before deadly flight

This was the photo that figure skater Spencer Lane snapped as he waited to take off from Wichita, Kansas, on American Airlines flight 5342. Lane posted the photo on Instagram just before takeoff, with a simple caption, ICT to DCA. Spencer Lane was flying with his mother, Christine. They'd just attended the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp in Wichita. The Lanes had reportedly adopted Spencer and his brother from South Korea. Spencer had left high school to pursue a career in figure skating. In December last year, he skated in a show organized by this woman. He was just beaming. This kid was so talented, he'd only started skating a few years ago, and he had all of his triples. He came to me, smiling ear to ear, saying, I get it now. I understand. He started to discover this connection with the audience and that joy that he was giving to other people through his gift. He said, please let me skate again with you next year. That dream ended just before 9 p.m. Wednesday night in the freezing Potomac River. Lane was part of the skating club of Boston, which lost two skaters and their mothers, as well as two coaches in the crash. Several other skating clubs around the country also lost members. Olympic U.S. figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, who trained at the skating club of Boston, went there to mourn and honor those who were lost. I think it's a shock. And when you find out, you know, you know some of the people on the plane, it's even a bigger blow. Thirteen-year-old Jina Han, another skater from Boston Skating Club, was also on board the flight with her mother, Jin Han. She was in it to win it. Just a delight. But for a little 13-year-old, just full of grace. Two of the club's coaches, world champion skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Namov, also died. The Russian-born skaters were married and competed twice in the Olympics. After they won the Paris title in the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships, they moved to the United States and built successful coaching careers. Everything you've heard of them, like maybe being a little tough, but with a smile on their face. And like any time I walked in, oh, hi, it's so good to see you. It's like always welcoming and happy to see one another. And so just to think to walk in here and not see that is, I think, would be very strange for everybody. It's going to be hard.

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D.C. Crash