Aviation Industry Mourns Loss of Two Respected Professionals in D.C. Crash | Aviation International News

Industry Mourns Loss of Two Professionals in D.C. Crash

Casey Crafton of Guardian Jet and Vikesh Patel of GE Aerospace were among those killed in the American Airlines Flight 5342 crash

Casey Crafton of Guardian Jet and Vikesh Patel of GE Aerospace — Casey Crafton of Guardian Jet (left) and Vikesh Patel of GE Aerospace (right)

By Jessica Reed • Writer & Editor

February 4, 2025

The aviation community is grieving the loss of Casey Crafton of Guardian Jet and Vikesh Patel of GE Aerospace, who were among the 67 people killed when a PSA Bombardier CRJ-700, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29.

Crafton, who served as technical services manager at business aircraft broker Guardian Jet since 2019, was traveling on business when the accident occurred. An aviation professional with more than a decade of experience as an A&P mechanic, Crafton was known for his expertise in aircraft maintenance and his work overseeing pre-buy projects.

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GE Aerospace

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