The grieving father of the doomed American Airlines flight’s pilot Sam Lilley said that the Black Hawk helicopter pilot made a “grave error” causing the devastating tragedy.
Timothy Lilley, a former military helicopter pilot, made the statement while speaking to Fox 5 Atlanta on the accident that claimed 67 lives including his son’s.
“In the 90s, I used to fly in and out of the Pentagon regularly, and I can tell you if you are flying on the route over the Potomac and wearing night vision goggles, it’s going to be very hard to see that plane,” he said.
“If you’re not wearing the goggles, then you might have a chance.”
“From what I can see, those guys turned right into the jet. I think the PSA jet was doing everything right. The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp confirmed that Sam Lilley and fellow Georgian Ryan O’Hara were the pilots of the American Airlines flight.
“We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Ryan O’Hara and Sam Lilley as they navigate this difficult time,” Kemp said.
“Both of these young Georgians shared a passion for flight and for serving others and this terrible tragedy is that much more difficult knowing their lives were cut so unexpectedly short.”
