Capt. Jonathan Jay Campos (’15) died in a midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in the Washington, D.C., area on Jan. 29, 2025. Campos, 34, was the captain of American Airlines Flight 5342.
Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Campos developed a passion for aviation early in life, leading him to Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science in 2015 before obtaining his flight instructor certification at Epic Flight Academy, where he later trained aspiring pilots. In 2018, he joined PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, and became a captain in 2022.
Campos is interred in New York’s St. John Cemetery, near his father, Feliberto Campos, Jr., a New York City police officer who died when Jonathan was nine. He is deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues and former classmates, who remember him for his dedication, kindness and love of flying.
In honor of our alumnus, the Jonathan Campos Aviation Safety Fellowship has been established at Embry-Riddle to support advancement of research in aviation safety.