In a heartbreaking tragedy, 14-year-old Everly and 11-year-old Alydia Livingston, along with their parents, Peter Livingston and Donna Smojice Livingston, have been confirmed as victims of a fatal plane crash near Washington, D.C. The family, returning from the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, were aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 when it collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on the evening of January 29.
The sisters, members of the Washington Figure Skating Club, had recently shared a joyful post on social media, posing together at a skating event. In their post, they playfully questioned if US Figure Skating was ready for the “Livingston” presence at Nationals. Tragically, it would be their final post before their lives were cut short. The crash claimed the lives of the entire family, along with other passengers and crew members.
Around 9 p.m. local time, the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter as it was approaching Reagan Washington National Airport. The collision led to the loss of 64 lives, including athletes, coaches, and families, all connected to the figure skating community. Many of the victims had just participated in the National Development Camp held alongside the championships, making the tragedy even more devastating for the sport.
The recovery mission, which started immediately after the crash, resulted in the recovery of 28 bodies by Thursday. Among the victims were several notable figures from the figure skating community, including Spencer Lane and his mother Christine, Jinna Han and her mother Jin Han, and coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov from the Boston Skating Club. Athletes from the Northern Virginia and University of Delaware Figure Skating Clubs were also among the victims, underscoring the widespread impact of the tragedy on the figure skating world.
In response to the devastating loss, US Figure Skating expressed their deep sorrow on social media, offering condolences to the affected families. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” the organization wrote. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash, with the NTSB leading the inquiry.