The family of Sam Lilley, a pilot killed in the deadly midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., earlier this year, is speaking out and hoping to turn grief into action.
"We [want to] make sure that no other family has to go through the loss that our family and the other 66 families have gone through," said Tim Lilley, Sam’s father and a pilot himself.
The January crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. Since the incident, the Lilley family has called for changes to air safety protocols, particularly regarding military and commercial flight coordination near the Pentagon.
Tim Lilley argues long-standing problems at Reagan National, from outdated systems to risky procedures, contributed to the tragedy.
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"It only takes a minute to look at the procedure going out of the Pentagon and know you should not have a helicopter circling east of the Pentagon while there's aircraft, commercial aircraft, on approach to runway 19 at broader Reagan," he said.
He recalled previous conversations with his son about the complexity of flying into the area.
"Sam and I talked quite a bit about the flights into DCA and Ronald Reagan International and the challenges that come with that," he said.
Their concerns echo broader issues facing the aviation industry. A New York Times report after the crash highlighted understaffing at the Reagan control tower, and a lawsuit claims the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) improperly discarded qualified air traffic controller applicants based on race.
Tim Lilley also expressed concern about outdated air traffic control technology.
"The system just can't keep up with what's going on. This thing was designed decades and decades ago," he said.
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Despite the tragedy, the Lilleys are hopeful about efforts underway to fix what’s broken. They credit Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for moving quickly after the crash.
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"Secretary Duffy, he gets it," Tim said. "We met with him just a few days after the accident. Everything that we asked for, he’s taking action on. I asked him to do this at the speed of business and not the speed of government, and he's really coming through."
The Department of Transportation unveiled a sweeping three-year framework to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system. The proposal released Thursday includes upgraded radar, new telecommunications networks, and six new air traffic control centers nationwide.
Sam’s family expressed gratitude for the administration’s support.
"I just really [want to] thank President Trump for his leadership in putting forth this program," said Tim, who stressed that aviation safety is not a partisan issue.
"Every family deserves to know that their loved one is on a commercial aircraft that's [going to] get there safely," Tim said. "This goes both sides of the aisle. We're just looking for support from everybody. I think all Americans deserve safe skies."
Even as changes begin, the Lilley family says their advocacy is just beginning.
"We are in this for the long haul," said Sam’s stepmother, Sheri Lilley. "Tim and I are adamant that we want to make the name Sam Lilley synonymous with aviation safety."