The Charlotte community came together in a heartfelt gathering to bid farewell to Danasia Elder, a flight attendant who tragically lost her life in a recent aircraft collision. The service was held at University City United Methodist Church, where friends, family, and a substantial assembly of flight attendants from across the nation — representing various airlines — paid their respects, as articulated by WBTV.
Colleagues of Elder recounted cherished memories and the many ways she touched their lives, "We do this every day and truly we are united by wings," remarked American Airlines crew member Tonya McCray. This sense of unity was echoed by others who work in the skies; Southwest's Erica Blakely reinforced the collective sentiment telling WBTV, "It took this for us to come together but we really, really showed up for her."
The mid-air collision, which saw Elder and others perish, occurred when an American Eagle Flight 5342 encountered an Army Black Hawk helicopter, as reported by WCNC Charlotte. The crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, left no survivors from the 60 passengers and crew aboard, including Elder and three other Charlotte-based crew members.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been scrutinizing the incident and recent findings indicate a missed directive might have played a role, as the helicopter pilot possibly ignored a crucial instruction from air traffic control just seconds before the tragic event, QC News disclosed the helicopter's altitude conflict, and a probable oversight by the crew concerning the looming disaster, "We do not have any indication that the black hawk crew would have seen that," said NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.
The physical remnants of the crash are slated for further examination at a secure facility in DC, while the families, including Elder's, have been given closure with the return of their loved ones' remains. This event has reverberated through the tight-knit aviation family, reminding many, as an anonymous former PSA training classmate of Elder's shared with WCNC Charlotte, of her "extremely friendly" nature and "beautiful smile."
