The couple, traveling back from the US Figure Skating Championships, had just spoken to their son, Maxim Naumov, 23, a Team USA skater, expressing pride in his fourth-place finish at the competition. Maxim, however, was not on the flight, having left Kansas earlier.

The plane, Flight 5342, was returning from the National Development Camp and carried several figure skaters, coaches, and family members. The collision occurred as the regional jet, with 60 passengers, approached Reagan National Airport. Tragically, both the plane and helicopter crashed into the Potomac River, with emergency response teams recovering wreckage.

Shishkova and Naumov, originally from Leningrad, were highly respected in the figure skating world, winning the 1994 World Championship in pairs. They had moved to the US in 1998 to coach, with Maxim following their path as a figure skater. The International Skating Union and fans expressed deep condolences for the tragic loss.