The family of Casey Crafton has filed the first lawsuit over the American Eagle Flight 5342 crash in the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., alleging the disaster was avoidable and caused by systemic negligence.

The Jan. 29 crash involved an Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided midair with an American Airlines passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport, killing 64 people on the American Eagle flight and three aboard the military helicopter.

The federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of Casey Crafton’s estate, with his wife Rachel and family leading the legal action.

“Our lives were shattered in a moment,” said Dailey Crafton, Crafton’s brother. “Casey was betrayed by systemic disregard for safety. We cannot stand by and allow his life to be lost in vain.”

Multiple victims’ family members spoke at a news conference Wednesday, accusing the US government and American Airlines of negligence. (POOL)

He said the group has also “turned our grief into action.”

“We’ve collaborated with Congress on critical air safety reforms. We’ve secured a much-needed set of oversight investigations into the FAA, and we will not rest until similar investigations are underway into the US Army,” Lane said. “We’ll bring that same level of passion and relentlessness as we seek accountability and change through the legal process.

“Many of us have been asked whether we dread the idea of rehashing the worst days of our lives in court. Our answer today is clear: We’re ready. … We are here to see this process through, however long it takes, to ensure that our family members have a lasting legacy that makes the world safer for everyone who flies.”

The lawsuit is seeking both monetary damages and congressional air safety reforms.