Two sisters who were competitive figure skaters were among the victims of the recent plane collision in Washington, D.C. The pair had participated in the latest championships in Wichita and were on their way home when the tragedy struck.
Reports indicate that several sources have confirmed the victims’ identities, including Peter Livingston, his wife, Donna Smojice Livingston—a native of Central Pennsylvania—and their figure skating daughters. They were among those who lost their lives in the American Airlines plane crash.
The couple’s two daughters, Alydia, 11, and Everly, 14, along with the crew and other passengers of Flight 5342, did not survive. The siblings’ last social media post featured them posing together at their recent event on January 24.
The post, which included numerous hashtags, read, “If you look closely at Alydia’s badge… We were born ready for this but is @usfigureskating ready for this much Livingston at Nationals?”
The Livingstons’ family friend, Cassandra Atkins, who lives in Australia, helped design some of the girls’ skating outfits through her company, Frozen Couture. She had never met the family in person but kept in touch with Donna weekly or daily.
Cassandra often received photos and videos of the siblings from their mother. Reflecting on their relationship, she said, “Donna was just like the most perfect mom. She really was. Like I said before those girls were everything to her, the center of her whole universe.”
The last time Cassandra spoke to Donna was a week ago when they discussed designing new outfits for the girls. Donna mentioned that her daughters liked standing out on the ice, preferring bright colors over the darker ones typically worn by other skaters their age.
Recalling the girls’ passion for the sport, Cassandra shared, “They just loved skating so much.” She added, “When they weren’t skating, they were roller skating, or they had wheels on their boots. They were always able to figure out a way.”
The Livingstons’ deaths were also mourned by The Skating Lesson Facebook page. Sharing images of the sisters, the page highlighted Alydia as a rising ice dancer who had earned a spot in the camp after teaming up with a new partner.
She was also the youngest skater on the plane. Remembering her fondly, the page stated, “Lydia, 11, was known for her vivacious personality and strong desire to improve on the ice – no matter the critique.”
Her older sister, in contrast, was more shy and reserved, only coming alive on the ice. She became a sectional champion at both the intermediate and juvenile levels. The children’s mother worked at Comcast, while their father was a real estate agent.
The late couple was described as devoted parents, spending many nights in hotels and splitting their time between Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia in recent months to support their daughters’ skating careers.
The page also noted, “Donna will be remembered for her optimistic nature and Peter will be remembered for being a supportive dad who loved filming his girls anywhere and everywhere.”
The sisters had been passionate about the sport from a young age, as reflected in a December 3, 2022, Facebook post by a figure skating page. Sharing a throwback picture of them posing in the snow, the page revealed that Everly and Alydia were two and five years old at the time.
By that year, the sisters were nine and 12 and still actively figure skating. Highlighting their love for the sport, the account wrote, “Theirs [sic] father makes an ice rink in the garden for the girls every year. As the girls get bigger, year after year, the size of the rink also increases.”
In 2023, Everly was interviewed by Fox5 at the Ashburn Ice House. When asked what she enjoyed most about being a figure skater, she replied that she loved how the sport included jumps and spins.
The young skater admitted that while figure skating is challenging, it also requires grace, making it a beautiful sport. Their parents also created a YouTube channel for them in November 2018, showcasing their skills. The channel currently has 437 subscribers, 67 videos, and 86,534 views.
On the evening of Wednesday, January 29, an American Airlines plane collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet struck a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter in mid-air.
The accident occurred at approximately 9 p.m. local time while the aircraft approached the runway at Reagan Washington National Airport. Among the 64 victims were US Figure Skating athletes, coaches, and family members.
At the time of the crash, the group was returning home from the previous week’s US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. Some victims had participated in the championships held in conjunction with the National Development Camp.
By Thursday, 28 bodies had been recovered from the crash site. No survivors were expected, as emergency personnel transitioned from a rescue to a recovery mission.
The names of victims identified as members, coaches, and family of the US Figure Skating Team include the following, beginning with The Skating Club (SC) of Boston athletes: Spencer Lane and his mother, Christine, as well as Jinna Han and her mother, Jin Han.
Jinna was a 13-year-old competitive figure skater best known for her performances in the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final. At the time, she participated in the novice women’s free skate category. She was recognized for her poise, strong technical skills, and commanding stage presence.
In 2023, she delivered standout performances in SC Boston’s Ice Chips show. Doug Zeghibe, CEO and Executive Director of SC Boston, spoke highly of her abilities, describing her as “in it to win it, full of grace, a serious competitor but so nice about it and so supportive of her fellow competitors… just a delight but for a little 13-year-old just full of grace.”
Journalist and skating enthusiast Kat Cornetta expressed her grief about the loss in a post on X, writing, “I am saddened by the loss of everyone on that DC flight, but especially so by the loss of Jinna Han. She was a remarkable skater.”
This is not the first time Kat has written about Jinna Han. She had previously praised the late athlete‘s talent and dedication to the sport. In a post featuring Jinna’s friend, London, her mother, Tashema Lindsey wrote, “London and her friend Jinna Han, a shining star lost in the plane crash, will continue to inspire us. London is grieving![..] Just completely devastated! [sic]”
SC Boston coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were also among those lost. Northern Virginia athletes Eddie Zhou, Brielle Beyer and her mother, Justyna Magdalena, and Cory Haynos also perished. Everly and Alydia were members of the Washington Figure Skating Club (FSC).
Another Washington FSC athlete who died was Franco Aparicio, while coach Inna Volyanskaya also lost her life. Additionally, the University of Delaware FSC lost athletes Sean Kay and Angela Yang, along with coach Alexandr Kirsanov.
On the same day as the crash, US Figure Skating released a statement on Instagram, noting in part, “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.”
The FAA is collaborating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the investigation, with the NTSB leading the inquiry.
