WASHINGTON — Casey Crafton was one of 60 passengers who were killed when an American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. in January.

On Wednesday, his wife Rachel Crafton became the first family member to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

"Casey was a devoted father and husband, and we built a beautiful life together," Rachel Crafton said in prepared remarks. "Our lives were shattered in a moment, and the grief has been unimaginable."

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, names American Airlines and PSA Airlines, the regional carrier that operated the flight, as defendants, along with the federal government. It's the first of what are expected to be dozens of similar suits.

A total of 67 people, inc

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