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Three Fairfax County residents — 14-year-old figure skater Franco Aparicio of Dunn Loring, his father, Luciano “Lucho” Aparicio, and Franco’s coach, Inna Volyanskaya of Oakton — were among the 67 people killed in the Jan. 29 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a U.S. Army helicopter over the Potomac River before the aircraft plunged into the frigid water and broke into multiple pieces. Officials said the plane carried 64 people and the helicopter carried three Army soldiers. There were no survivors.
Many of those aboard the flight were returning to Northern Virginia after attending a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
A rising skater remembered
Franco, a Fairfax County Public Schools student and Washington Figure Skating Club member, was remembered as a dedicated young athlete with Olympic potential.
Sergey Korovin, a coach with the Skating Club of Northern Virginia, said Franco seemed to fly across the ice and could practice for two hours at a time. The Washington Figure Skating Club described him as gracious and hardworking, with a smile that brightened the rink.
Franco placed fourth at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final. He also finished first at National Qualifying Series events in Austin and at the Middle Atlantic Championships. The Wichita camp marked the second consecutive year he had earned a place in the national development program.
His father, Luciano Aparicio, was an accountant specializing in the energy industry and a vice president at multinational power company AES Corporation.
Franco and Luciano are survived by Barbara, Franco’s mother and Luciano’s wife, and daughters and sisters Isabella and Antonella.
Volyanskaya’s skating legacy
Volyanskaya, 59, began coaching in 2002 and influenced generations of skaters.
Before becoming a coach, she competed in pairs for the Soviet Union with Valery Spiridonov. The pair won six international medals, including gold at the 1982 Nebelhorn Trophy. Volyanskaya later portrayed Ariel in Disney on Ice’s “The Little Mermaid.”
She is survived by her husband, Jeremy Brent Wilson; daughter, Masha Spiridonova; stepson, Keagan Eduardo Wilson; parents, Vitaly Volyansky and Larisa Volyanskaya; sister, Olga Raskatov; brother-in-law, Artem Raskatov; niece, Angelina Stapelmann; nephew-in-law, Niclas Stapelmann; and nephew, Alan Raskatov.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid urged the community to hold one another closer as it confronted the loss.
The Skating Club of Northern Virginia and Washington Figure Skating Club said the disaster had shaken skating communities across Virginia, Maryland and Washington, as well as Boston and the rest of the nation. Both organizations pledged continued support for skaters and their families.
Vigils and a national tribute
One week after the collision, residents and elected officials gathered on Feb. 5 for a vigil honoring all those killed. Rep. Don Beyer led the gathering, where speakers included Sen. Tim Kaine and Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins.
U.S. Figure Skating also announced “Legacy on Ice,” a live skating tribute scheduled for March 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. The organization is presenting the event with Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Entertainment Gang.
The program will commemorate all 67 victims while raising money for their families and for the first responders and aviation professionals involved in the aftermath. Proceeds will be divided equally among the U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund, the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s DCA Together Relief Fund and the DC Fire & EMS Foundation.
U.S. Figure Skating interim CEO Samuel Auxier said the event would celebrate the athletes, coaches and relatives through the sport they loved.
On Feb. 6, the U.S. Senate agreed to a resolution commemorating the victims and honoring the first responders. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia joined Kansas Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall in supporting it.
Moran called the collision the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in nearly 25 years and spoke of the profound pain suffered by the victims’ families and friends.
Warner noted that first responders from 40 jurisdictions dropped everything to help. Kaine said tragedy underscores the need for communities to come together, particularly when others are suffering.