WASHINGTON — A Howard University Law professor and former Kansas beauty queen was among the 67 people presumed dead after a midair crash involving a passenger plane and Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., university officials said.
The Black Hawk helicopter was carrying three soldiers when it collided with the plane and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport Wednesday, Jan. 29, CBS News reported. Several American and Russian figure skaters were confirmed to be onboard the passenger plane.
As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, officials said at least 40 bodies have been recovered. Officials said there were no survivors.
University President Ben Vison, PhD, confirmed Friday that Professor Kiah Duggins was one of the 64 passengers on the plane.
“It is with profound sadness that the Howard University community and the Howard University School of Law have learned of the passing of Professor Kiah Duggins, who was among those lost in the mid-air plane collision at Reagan National Airport,” he said in a social media post.
Duggins was also a civil rights attorney with the non-profit Civil Rights Corps, according to a profile on the organization’s website.
In her career as an attorney, Duggins challenged unconstitutional policing and bail practices in Tenessee, Texas and Washington, D.C., according to her profile. She also worked with the ACLU of Northern California to challenge police misconduct and other aspects of the criminal legal system.
Duggins also had ties to the Kansas community as she earned her bachelor’s from Wichita State University and won the Miss Agusta and the Miss Bulter County beauty pageants in 2014 and 2015, according to the executive director of the Miss Kansas Organization.
“It is with heavy heart that the Miss Augusta and Miss Butler County organization just learned that Kiah Duggins Miss Butler County 2014, 2015 was a passengers in the plane that crashed last evening in Washington DC,” Executive Director Larry Strong posted to social media Thursday.
According to Strong’s post, Duggins was preparing to start as a law professor at Howard University in the fall.
She was also a top 10 finalist in the 2014 and 2015 Miss Kansas Pageants.
Maryland plane crash victims
Several Marylanders were also aboard the American Airlines flight when it crashed Wednesday.
Olivia Ter, a 12-year-old figure skater from Prince George’s County, was among the 64 passengers, according to the county’s Parks and Recreation Department.
She was one of 14 members of the U.S. Figure Skating community who was coming back home after a National Development Camp in Kansas.
“Olivia not only excelled in figure skating programs but inspired others through her talent, determination and sportsmanship,” Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation said in a statement. “Her passion for the sport and positive influence on her peers and coaches will not be forgotten.”
Maryland-based labor union Steamfitters UA Local 602 confirmed that four of its members were onboard the plane from Wichita.
“Our focus now is on providing support and care to the families of our Brothers as we continue to gather more information in the coming days,” General President Mark McManus and Business Manager Chris Madello said in a statement.
The union represents workers in the heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and process piping industries in the D.C. Metro area.
