CRANFORD, NJ — The plane collision last week between a passenger jet and a military helicopter hit close to home when, among the 67 victims, the crash claimed the life of a former resident of Cranford.
Cranford native Christine Conrad Lane and her son, Spencer, 16, were aboard American Eagle flight 5342 when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at approximately 9 p.m., while approaching a runway at Reagan National Airport, near Washington, D.C., the Federal Aviation Administration has said. The three soldiers aboard the U.S. Army’s Sikorsky H-60 were killed, along with the 64 people aboard the regional jetliner. Both aircraft fell into the Potomac River.
The helicopter involved in the collision was in a training flight and had belonged to B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Joint Task Force–National Capitol Region media chief Heather Chiarez told CBS News. The chopper was reportedly flying approximately 200 feet higher than it should have been at the time of the crash, officials have said.
American Eagle Flight No. 5342, which was operated by PSA Airlines, had taken off from Wichita, Kansas. It was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members.
Officials have said, as of Monday, Feb. 3, that they expect that it will take at least three more days to remove the passenger plane from the water. Once the airliner and the Black Hawk are removed, they will be taken to a designated hangar where they will be assessed as part of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the cause of the collision. So far, authorities have identified 55 people killed in the crash.
Nearly half of the passengers aboard the airliner were members of the figure skating community, including Lane’s son. The 28 members of the skating community were returning from a development camp for promising figure skaters in Wichita, after the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating national championships. In a tribute video posted on social media, U.S. Figure Skating identified 11 skaters, ages 11 to 16, as being among the victims. Four coaches also died in the collision. The other 13 members of the figure skating community were family members.
Lane and her son, Spencer, lived in Barrington, Rhode Island, and were part of The Skating Club of Boston. Six skaters, coaches and parents from this club were on the plane.
“Heartbroken to learn that Cranford native Christine Conrad Lane and her son, Spencer, were among the victims of Wednesday’s devastating plane crash in D.C. Our hearts go out to Christine’s husband, Doug, their family and loved ones, and all who have been impacted by this tragedy,” Gov. Phil Murphy wrote on his X account.
Lane was a member of the Cranford High School Class of 1993. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1997.
Spencer was a sectionals champion who had become popular among the skating community on social media. The day of the crash, he had posted a video showing him doing a triple toe loop to wrap up the development camp.
“It is with deep sorrow that we acknowledge the untimely passing of Christine Conrad Lane and her son, Spencer. Christine may have moved beyond Cranford’s borders, but many still remember her as a kind and caring person. On behalf of the entire Cranford community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to their family and loved ones,” Cranford Mayor Dr. Terrence Curran said in an email to LocalSource.
The NTSB has recovered the black box devices from both the passenger jet and the military helicopter. The recording devices are essential during crash-related probes as they provide investigators with crucial information, including internal communications, data on the aircraft’s altitude, instrument readings and power settings. A preliminary report on the incident is expected within 30 days, according to NTSB officials.
Photo Courtesy of Spencer Lane Instagram Photos/lilrhodyhomes