The Journey to Here

I'm Doug Lane. My world changed forever on January 29, 2025, when my wife Christine and son Spencer lost their lives in the collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 in Washington, D.C. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, a posed photo of my family dressed in blue seemed to be everywhere. But the version above better reflects who we really were. Life was chaotic and messy at times. Maybe even most of the time. But it was also joyful.

This newsletter started as a place to share stories, photos, and videos of Christine, Spencer, and the people who shaped their lives. I still do that. But I also write about the institutional failures, oversights, and errors that led to the tragedy — and what has to change so it doesn't happen again.

I live in Rhode Island with my younger son, Milo. I'm a member of Families of Flight 5342 and one of the people leading its push for safety reforms in Washington. I've also written about the tragedy for The Boston Globe, The Hill, and Newsweek, and appeared in BBC and Discovery documentaries about the collision.

Subscribe to follow along, and feel free to reply to any of my emails with a story of your own, a question, or a tip.