House Passes Resolution Honoring Flight 5342, Black Hawk PAT 25 Victims

WASHINGTON, D.C.  This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring the victims of the Jan. 29, 2025 collision of American Eagle Flight 5342 and Black Hawk PAT (Priority Air Transport) 25. The Kansas delegation introduced the resolution with more than 90 cosponsors. U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01), as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, hosted other members on the House Floor to express condolences. The House passed the resolution unanimously by voice vote. Rep. Ron Estes (KS-04) introduced the bill.

“Today, I join the Kansas delegation in honoring the lives lost in the tragic accident on January 29, 2025,” said Rep. Mann. “We will always remember our fellow Kansans and fellow Americans whose lives were tragically lost—farmers, parents, professors, college students with bright futures, taken from us far too soon. As the investigation into the accident continues to unfold, we must learn from our findings to prevent this from ever happening again. Audrey and I continue to express our deepest condolences and prayers to those impacted by the accident and mourn the lives tragically lost.”

“While it’s been just a little more than one month since this tragic incident, there are still no words to adequately express the heartbreak we all feel at your loss, and no words that can properly console you. I pray that, in time, God would give you and all those impacted a peace that would surpass all understanding,” said Rep. Estes. “It is in each home, school, workplace and community where each of the 67 victims was known and loved that they will continue to be remembered, celebrated and honored. As we’ve learned more about the individual passengers aboard the plane, as well as the pilots and flight crew of Flight 5342 and the crew of the Black Hawk, we’ve come to know how much they meant to the people around them – and how much they will be missed.”

“Today, I stand alongside my colleagues from Kansas to honor the lives lost, including those from our own state, in the tragic collision between Flight 5342 and PAT 25,” said Rep. Davids. “My heart is with the families and communities grieving this profound loss. We must continue working to improve aviation safety to ensure no other family faces such unimaginable heartache. The memory of those we lost will continue to guide our commitment to a safer future.”

“Today, our Kansas delegation stands united as we remember the victims of Flight 5342,” said Rep. Schmidt. “Our prayers remain with the family and friends of all affected by this horrible tragedy, and our gratitude remains with all the first responders who worked diligently around the clock on rescue and recovery efforts. My colleagues and I will continue working with federal agencies to determine how this collision occurred and what steps can be taken to prevent future tragedies.”
 
“My prayers go out to all the victims of the January 29th tragedy in our nation’s capital, and to all their loved ones, including the people of Kansas, who are suffering from their loss,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06). “I also appreciate the heroic actions of the first responders and the many others who were involved in the response and recovery efforts following the accident.  I commend Congressman Estes and his colleagues for leading this resolution to honor those that we lost on that day, express our condolences to those who are grieving, and praise the efforts of all those who responded to this tragedy.”

Download the full video of all Members’ remarks.

Download the resolution or view below.

RESOLUTION

Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25, and for other purposes.

Whereas the people of Wichita, Kansas, and the people of the National Capital Region have experienced a terrible tragedy with the loss of 67 lives in the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and U.S. Army flight callsign “PAT 25” near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside of Washington, District of Columbia, on January 29, 2025;

Whereas many of the victims of the crash were residents of, or connected to, Wichita, Kansas, colloquially known as the “Air Capital of the World” for the city’s historic role in aviation; and

Whereas many Federal, State, and local officials have cooperated to respond to the emergency, investigate the accident, and provide assistance to families devastated by the loss of loved ones: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) expresses condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25;

(2) honors those who lost their lives, including Franco Aparicio, Luciano Aparicio, Sarah Lee Best, Brielle Beyer, Justyna Beyer, Jonathan D. Boyd, Jonathan Jay Campos, James “Tommy” Thomas Clagett Jr., Chris Collins, Casey Laurance Crafton, Pete "PJ" Diaz, Kiah Duggins, Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, Danasia Brown Elder, James “Brian” Ellis, Ian Douglas Epstein, Lindsey Denae Fields, Jinna Han, Jin Han, Cory Haynos, Stephanie Haynos, Roger Haynos, Alexander “Alex” Gordon Huffman, Asra Hussain-Raza, Steve Johnson, Julia Kay, Sean Kay, Elizabeth Anne Keys, Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov, Spencer Lane, Christine Conrad Lane, Samuel “Sam” Walter Lilley, Alydia Steele Livingston, Everly Pearl Livingston, Donna Livingston, Peter Livingston, Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, Pergentino Noble Malabed Jr., Grace Maxwell, Charles Douglas McDaniel, Dustin Michael Miller, Melissa Jane Nicandri, Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, Vikesh Patel, Jesse Jameson Pitcher, Robert “Rob” Alan Prewitt, Lori Ann Girard Schrock, Robert “Bob” Ryan Schrock, Wendy Jo Shaffer, Evgenia Shishkova, Vadim Naumov, Michael “Mikey” Bret Stovall, Olesya Taylor, Olivia Ter, Inna Volyanskaya, Angela Yang, Zheheng “Lily” Li, Edward Zhou, Yu Zhou, Kaiyan Mao, and 7 others.

(3) expresses sympathies to the people of Wichita, the entire state of Kansas, the National Capital Region, the Nation, and the multiple countries who grieve for the victims; and

(4) commends the heroic actions of the first responders, emergency services personnel, and all those who aided in the recovery efforts in freezing waters.

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