On January 29, American Airlines flight 5342 was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it struck a military-operated Black Hawk helicopter.
The devastating incident has claimed 67 lives. Credit: Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Giles/ U.S. Coast Guard via Getty Images
The wreckage of both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, with 64 people on board the plane and three on the helicopter presumed dead.
Recovery operations are currently ongoing to recover the bodies from the river to reunite them with their families.
One of those onboard the American Airlines flight was 59-year-old Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet figure skater and Disney On Ice performer.
More recently, she had been a coach at Ashburn Ice House in Virginia.
“Inna also had a lot of success internationally achieving gold, silver, and bronze medals in various international competitions,” the club’s website states.
Inna Volyanskaya. Credit: Instagram/Inna Volyanskaya
Ashburn Ice House General Manager Rob Lorenzen confirmed her passing to NBC Washington.
Volyanskaya was a highly regarded figure skater, known for her performances in Disney On Ice, where she portrayed beloved characters such as Princess Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, and Ariel, per her coaching biography.
During the 1980s, she competed as a pairs skater for the Soviet Union before earning a lead role in the “Russian All-Stars,” an ice theatre troupe founded by legendary coach Tatiana Tarasova.
Her career took her across the globe, and she later transitioned into coaching in 2002, specializing in jump technique, choreography, and off-ice conditioning.
Her former husband, Ross Lansel, paid tribute to her legacy, calling her “one of the best pair girls to skate.”
“Just knowing the impact she made to all the skaters and everyone just hurts my soul,” Lansel told News4. “I wish all those kids that she taught – just my condolences. I wish them the best of life and everything because I know it’s going to be so hard without her.”
Hockey coach Serguei Kouznetsov, a fellow Soviet Union immigrant, also spoke about Volyanskaya’s dedication to her craft.
“Very good people, very driven, focused on the particular task of figure skating, and completely dedicated,” he told FOX 13. “[She was at the] rink all day. Nothing else mattered.”
An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter. Credit: Al Drago / Getty
In what would become her final Instagram post, Volyanskaya expressed pride in her students, celebrating their achievements at the National Development Camp.
“Congratulations on Everly and Franco for making it to the national development camp for their second year! So proud of all their hard work and training they have done to get here. What an amazing way to start off the year!” she wrote, sharing photos of smiling students.
Our thoughts are with those impacted by this tragedy.
