Flight attendant Danasia Elder has been named as one among the ones who have lost life in the American Airlines flight plane crash
Following Wednesday night’s collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter over Washington, DC, dozens of passengers are believed dead, including two former world champions from Russia, their mothers, and teen figure skaters from Boston.
Authorities said there were no survivors of the flaming catastrophe, which was turning out to be the deadliest commercial crash in the United States in almost 20 years. The identities of the 60 passengers and four crew members on board started to come to light on Thursday.
Who is flight attendant Danasia Elder who died in American Airlines Eagles flight 5342 Washington DC plane crash, bio, age, family and husband
At least 14 members of the US Figure Skating team were among those who boarded the aircraft, which crashed late Wednesday over the icy Potomac River, according to officials.
During a briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump declared that there were no survivors. Three portions of the plane’s body were discovered upside down in waist-deep water. The helicopter’s wreckage was also discovered. All three Army soldiers were among the dozens of bodies recovered Thursday from the freezing waters of the Potomac River.
Crew members of American Eagle 5342 have been identified as; Jonathan Campos, 34 Captain, Samuel Lilley, 29 First Officer, Ian Epstein, Flight Attendant and Danasia Elder, Flight Attendant. pic.twitter.com/WXWB3MBz7e
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) January 30, 2025
The identity of the victims who had ties to Charlotte, North Carolina, has been being verified and flight attendant Danasia Elder is one of them.
Officials stated that flying conditions were clear when the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, but they did not immediately provide an explanation for the incident.
Danasia Elder, a flight attendant on the flight from Wichita to D.C., leaves behind her husband and two children, Kayden and Dallas and Elder’s brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, described her as “full of life,” highlighting her love for God, her kids, and travel.
Age 34 Danasia Elder was from Clayton County, GA.
“She was a great wife, a great parent, a great friend,” Payne said. “She was very bright, very smart. She was an entrepreneur. This flight attendant thing was kind of like one of her dreams she wanted to do.”
The old classmate of Danasia Elder who had taken PSA training contacted WCNC Charlotte to share their recollections of her. According to the classmate, Elder loved to fly, was quite amiable, and had a lovely smile.
“Danasia was very dedicated to being a flight attendant,” the classmate, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
According to the classmate, PSA members form deep bonds during the Charlotte-based training procedure.
Danasia Elder loved God, her kids and travel. The Charlotte woman was a flight attendant on last night's flight from Wichita to DC. Her brother in law tells me she was full of life. She leaves behind a husband and two children, Kayden and Dallas @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/ngmnHuRqkm
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) January 30, 2025
“She loved her family tremendously, and she would just light up whenever she spoke about them,” the classmate said.