We lost our family in the DC plane crash. The failures exposed are a warning for every parent putting their child on a flight

On January 29, a tragedy unfolded in the skies over Washington, DC, that claimed 70 lives — including our entire family. Peter and Donna Livingston, both 48, and their daughters Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, were flying home aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas. Alongside them were dozens of other passengers, including 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community.

As their jet approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the Potomac River that night, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter — on a nighttime training mission — crossed into its path. At 8:47 p.m., the two aircraft collided. There were no survivors. It was the deadliest U.S. air disaster in over two decades.