The Figure Skaters in the American Airlines Plane Crash Remembered: What to Know About the Victims

Mar. 15, 2025

Spencer Lane; Alydia and Everly Livingston.Photo:Spencer Lane/Instagram; Everly & Alydia Livingston/Instagram

Spencer Lane/Instagram; Everly & Alydia Livingston/Instagram

AnAmerican Airlines regional passenger plane collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk Helicopterover the Potomac River as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on the night of Wednesday, Jan. 29.

The plane, which had been coming from Wichita, Kansas, carried four crew members and 60 passengers, including many related to the U.S. Figure Skating organization, as they had recently been in Wichita for a figure skating development camp.

Here’swhat we know about the victimswho have been confirmed so far.

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Alydia, Everly, Donna and Peter Livingston

Alydia and Everly Livingston.Everly & Alydia Livingston/Instagram

Everly & Alydia Livingston/Instagram

Donna Smojice Livingston/Facebook

“Donna was just like the most perfect mom,” family friend Cassandra Atkinstold WTAJ. “She really was… Those girls were everything to her, the center of her whole universe.”

02of 11Justyna Beyer and Brielle BeyerGoFundMeJustyna Beyer, 42, joined her 12-year-old daughter Brielle at the Wichita camp.In an interview withABC News, Andy Beyer spoke about losing his wife and daughter in the crash, saying that Brielle had faced cancer at 4 months old and was “such a fighter in everything she did. She just lived life to the fullest with everything.“AGoFundMefor Andy and his 6-year-old son describes Justyna as “a devoted mother, exhibited unconditional love and support towards her two children and loving husband. She sacrificed so much to provide for Brielle’s future as an Olympic figure skater.”

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Justyna Beyer and Brielle Beyer

GoFundMe

Justyna Beyer, 42, joined her 12-year-old daughter Brielle at the Wichita camp.

In an interview withABC News, Andy Beyer spoke about losing his wife and daughter in the crash, saying that Brielle had faced cancer at 4 months old and was “such a fighter in everything she did. She just lived life to the fullest with everything.”

AGoFundMefor Andy and his 6-year-old son describes Justyna as “a devoted mother, exhibited unconditional love and support towards her two children and loving husband. She sacrificed so much to provide for Brielle’s future as an Olympic figure skater.”

03of 11Alexandr “Sasha” KirsanovStephen Dunn/GettyFormer ice dancer Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov, 46, who competed for the U.S., Azerbaijan and Russia before his retirement in 2004, was a coach and choreographer for the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club. He was on the flight accompanying ice dancing pair Angela Yang and Sean Kay.His wife Natalya Gudin co-coached the pair, but did not go to Wichita. “I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends,“Gudin told ABC News.Their daughter Nicole, also a competitive ice dancer,wrote on her Instagram stories, “I miss you Dad, I would do anything to bring you back and tell you that I loved you one more time.”

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Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov

Stephen Dunn/Getty

Former ice dancer Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov, 46, who competed for the U.S., Azerbaijan and Russia before his retirement in 2004, was a coach and choreographer for the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club. He was on the flight accompanying ice dancing pair Angela Yang and Sean Kay.

His wife Natalya Gudin co-coached the pair, but did not go to Wichita. “I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends,“Gudin told ABC News.

Their daughter Nicole, also a competitive ice dancer,wrote on her Instagram stories, “I miss you Dad, I would do anything to bring you back and tell you that I loved you one more time.”

04of 11Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim NaumovPIERRE VERDY/AFP via GettyFormer professional skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov wereproud parentsof son and figure skating pupil, Maxim Naumov. Days before the tragic crash, the pair shared their joy on theirjoint Instagram account, writing, “Once again, Maxim made us all proud, getting on to the podium at Nationals after 7th place in the short.”“This beautiful and emotional performance is a result of a team work. Huge thanks to Serhii and Irina Vaypan and of course to Adam Blake for his wonderful choreography of a classic! Maxim has earned his place in the team of 4 Continents,” they continued.Shishkova and Naumov were retired athletes themselves, having won the 1994 World Figure Skating pairs. The couple, who also coached young figure skaters at the Skating Club of Boston, were returning after coaching at the U.S. Figure Skating development camp.Maxim was not on the flight, the Skating Club of Boston confirmed.

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Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov

PIERRE VERDY/AFP via Getty

Former professional skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov wereproud parentsof son and figure skating pupil, Maxim Naumov. Days before the tragic crash, the pair shared their joy on theirjoint Instagram account, writing, “Once again, Maxim made us all proud, getting on to the podium at Nationals after 7th place in the short.”

“This beautiful and emotional performance is a result of a team work. Huge thanks to Serhii and Irina Vaypan and of course to Adam Blake for his wonderful choreography of a classic! Maxim has earned his place in the team of 4 Continents,” they continued.

Shishkova and Naumov were retired athletes themselves, having won the 1994 World Figure Skating pairs. The couple, who also coached young figure skaters at the Skating Club of Boston, were returning after coaching at the U.S. Figure Skating development camp.

Maxim was not on the flight, the Skating Club of Boston confirmed.

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Jinna Han and Jin Han

U.S. Figure Skating/YouTube

Those who knew Jinna Han mention her incredible talent and bright spirit. The 13-year-old was a member of the Skating Club of Boston since 2020 and she died in the crash along with her mom, Jin Han.

Her coachOlga Ganicheva recalled to NBC10 Bostonthat Jinna (pronounced “Jeena”) was a star student (“Her nickname was ‘Jinna Starina,’ like a star.") and her mother was supportive and trusting.

She placedfourthin the free skate and fourth overall, earning a berth to the National High-Performance Development Team that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

“Jinna has an amazing smile. Every time you would say her name, she would immediately give you a smile and [say hello] in her high voice,” Team USA Skater Misha Mitrofanov told PEOPLE.

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Spencer Lane and Christine Lane

Courtesy Lane Family

Douglas welcomed Spencer and his younger brother Milo through adoption from South Korea. The proud father said that Spencer had been inspired to start skating just a few years ago after seeingNathan Chenskate in the Olympics — and Spencer’s success in the sport was near-instant.

Spencer had a popular TikTok where he showcased his talent, including a video of a triple toe loop from the final day of development camp in Wichita.

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Inna Volyanskaya

Inna Volyanskaya/Instagram

Coach Inna Volyanskaya, 59, was traveling from Wichita to D.C. along with her student, Everly Livingston.

Volyanskaya was a former pairs skater who competed for the Soviet Union, according toReuters, citing Russian news agency TASS.A bio on the Ashburn Ice House sitesays also played Ariel in Disney on Ice, among other theatrical ice productions.

“Congratulations on Everly and Franco for making it to the national development camp for their second year! So proud of all their hard work and training they have done to get here. What an amazing way to start off the year!” she wrote.

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Olivia Ter

09of 11Cory, Roger and Stephanie Branton HaynosU.S. Figure Skating/YouTubeVirginia skater Cory Haynos, 16, who attended the Wichita development camp with his parents Roger and Stephanie, landed a difficult triple axel in front of scouts at the camp,according to theNew York Times.Stephanie Branton Haynos/FacebookAccording to theKansas City Star,Stephanie served on the board of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia, where Cory belonged, and she and Roger were very supportive of Cory’s skating goals.

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Cory, Roger and Stephanie Branton Haynos

Virginia skater Cory Haynos, 16, who attended the Wichita development camp with his parents Roger and Stephanie, landed a difficult triple axel in front of scouts at the camp,according to theNew York Times.

Stephanie Branton Haynos/Facebook

According to theKansas City Star,Stephanie served on the board of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia, where Cory belonged, and she and Roger were very supportive of Cory’s skating goals.

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Angela Yang

Angela Yang/Instagram

Angela Yang, 11, was among the youngest who lost their lives in the deadly crash. Yang had journeyed to Wichita along with her partner, Sean Kay, and coach Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov.

“We have Angela Yang/Sean Kay & Zoe Stone/Jerry Stone heading to Wichita for National Development Camp with Emmanuel Savary competing in the Championship Men event!” they wrote. “Congratulations to everyone and we wish you all the best!”

Savary as well as Zoe Stone and Jerry Stone were not in the crash.

It appears that Yang enjoyed her time at camp as she posted a carousel after leaving. “Had so so much fun at camp!!! I’m really gonna miss my friends and all the great coaches! I can’t wait for next year!” she wrote in herfinal poston Instagram.

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Sean Kay and Julia Kay

His mother Yulia, 42, a nurse who homeschooled her four children so they could pursue their ice dancing dreams, was also on the flight with him.Speaking to PEOPLE, Yulia’s husband Vitali said it has felt like “one long day” since he learned of his wife and son’s deaths, and remembered the two of them as “role models” for others.

“We need more kids like Sean and we need more people like Yulia,” he said.

source: people.com