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Families we’ve helped
Air India Flight 171 · Ahmedabad, India · 6/12/25American Airlines/PSA Flight 5342 · Washington, D.C. · 1/29/25Voepass Flight 2283 · Vinhedo, Brazil · 8/9/24Yeti Airlines Flight 691 · Pokhara, Nepal · 1/15/23Air India Express Flight 1344 · Kozhikode, India · 8/7/20Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 · Bishoftu, Ethiopia · 3/10/19Lion Air Flight 610 · Indonesia · 10/29/18US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 · Kathmandu, Nepal · 3/12/18Saratov Airlines Flight 703 · Russia · 2/11/18LaMia Flight 2933 · Colombia · 11/28/16EgyptAir Flight 804 · Mediterranean Sea · 5/19/16Flydubai Flight 981 · Rostov on Don, Russia · 3/18/16Meterojet Flight 9268 · Sinai, Egypt · 10/31/15Germanwings 9525 · French Alps · 3/25/15Virgin Galactic · Mojave, CA · 10/31/14Air Asia 8501 · Surabaya · 12/28/14Malaysia Airlines 17 · Ukraine · 7/17/14Malaysia Airlines 370 · Malaysia · 3/7/14Private Plane · Santa Monica, CA · 9/29/13Asiana Airlines 214 · San Francisco, CA · 7/6/13Private Plane · Kenai Peninsula, AK · 7/9/13Private Plane · Oakland, MI · 6/21/13National Air Cargo Flight · Afganistan · 4/29/13Private Plane · Rockingham County, VA · 9/26/12Flying Doctors of Mercy Plane · Mexico · 6/22/12Private Plane · Long Beach, CA · 3/16/11Private Plane · Abu Dhabi · 2/27/11Private Plane · Barrington, NY · 12/22/10Private Plane · South Portland, ME · 7/17/10Air India Express · 5/22/10Afriqiyah Airways Flight 8U771 · 5/12/10Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 · 1/25/10Air France Flight 447 · 6/1/09Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 · 2/25/09Continental Flight 3407 · 2/12/09US Airways Flight 1549 · 1/15/09Aeroflot · 9/14/08Span Air · 8/20/08TAM Airways · 7/17/07Comair Flight 5191 · 8/27/06Airbus A320-211 · Off Sochi, Russia · 5/3/06Bellview Airlines · 10/23/05West Caribbean Airways · 8/16/05Air France Flight 358 · 8/2/05Kam Air · 2/3/05Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 · 10/19/04Kish Airlines Flight 1770 · 2/10/04Georgian Express Flight 126 · 1/17/04Flash Airlines 604 · 1/3/04Turkish Airlines 634 · 1/8/03US Airways Express/Air Midwest Flight 5481 · 1/8/03American Flight 587 · 11/12/01The events of September 11, 2001Private Plane · Milltown, WI · 12/3/00Singapore Airlines 006 · 10/31/00Gulf Air Bus A320 · 8/23/00Air France Concorde 4590 · 6/25/00Alaska Airlines 261 · 1/31/00Egypt Air 990 · 10/31/99American Airlines 1420 · 6/1/99Swissair 111 · 9/2/98Private Plane · Phillips, WI · 8/4/98TWA 800 · Long Island, NY · 7/17/96US Air 427 · Allegheny County, PA · 9/8/94Pan Am 103 · Lockerbie, Scotland · 12/21/88TWA/United Airlines – Mid-Air Collision · Brooklyn, NY · 12/16/1960
Air India Flight 171 · Ahmedabad, India · 6/12/25American Airlines/PSA Flight 5342 · Washington, D.C. · 1/29/25Voepass Flight 2283 · Vinhedo, Brazil · 8/9/24Yeti Airlines Flight 691 · Pokhara, Nepal · 1/15/23Air India Express Flight 1344 · Kozhikode, India · 8/7/20Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 · Bishoftu, Ethiopia · 3/10/19Lion Air Flight 610 · Indonesia · 10/29/18US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 · Kathmandu, Nepal · 3/12/18Saratov Airlines Flight 703 · Russia · 2/11/18LaMia Flight 2933 · Colombia · 11/28/16EgyptAir Flight 804 · Mediterranean Sea · 5/19/16Flydubai Flight 981 · Rostov on Don, Russia · 3/18/16Meterojet Flight 9268 · Sinai, Egypt · 10/31/15Germanwings 9525 · French Alps · 3/25/15Virgin Galactic · Mojave, CA · 10/31/14Air Asia 8501 · Surabaya · 12/28/14Malaysia Airlines 17 · Ukraine · 7/17/14Malaysia Airlines 370 · Malaysia · 3/7/14Private Plane · Santa Monica, CA · 9/29/13Asiana Airlines 214 · San Francisco, CA · 7/6/13Private Plane · Kenai Peninsula, AK · 7/9/13Private Plane · Oakland, MI · 6/21/13National Air Cargo Flight · Afganistan · 4/29/13Private Plane · Rockingham County, VA · 9/26/12Flying Doctors of Mercy Plane · Mexico · 6/22/12Private Plane · Long Beach, CA · 3/16/11Private Plane · Abu Dhabi · 2/27/11Private Plane · Barrington, NY · 12/22/10Private Plane · South Portland, ME · 7/17/10Air India Express · 5/22/10Afriqiyah Airways Flight 8U771 · 5/12/10Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 · 1/25/10Air France Flight 447 · 6/1/09Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 · 2/25/09Continental Flight 3407 · 2/12/09US Airways Flight 1549 · 1/15/09Aeroflot · 9/14/08Span Air · 8/20/08TAM Airways · 7/17/07Comair Flight 5191 · 8/27/06Airbus A320-211 · Off Sochi, Russia · 5/3/06Bellview Airlines · 10/23/05West Caribbean Airways · 8/16/05Air France Flight 358 · 8/2/05Kam Air · 2/3/05Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 · 10/19/04Kish Airlines Flight 1770 · 2/10/04Georgian Express Flight 126 · 1/17/04Flash Airlines 604 · 1/3/04Turkish Airlines 634 · 1/8/03US Airways Express/Air Midwest Flight 5481 · 1/8/03American Flight 587 · 11/12/01The events of September 11, 2001Private Plane · Milltown, WI · 12/3/00Singapore Airlines 006 · 10/31/00Gulf Air Bus A320 · 8/23/00Air France Concorde 4590 · 6/25/00Alaska Airlines 261 · 1/31/00Egypt Air 990 · 10/31/99American Airlines 1420 · 6/1/99Swissair 111 · 9/2/98Private Plane · Phillips, WI · 8/4/98TWA 800 · Long Island, NY · 7/17/96US Air 427 · Allegheny County, PA · 9/8/94Pan Am 103 · Lockerbie, Scotland · 12/21/88TWA/United Airlines – Mid-Air Collision · Brooklyn, NY · 12/16/1960
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A grief mentor offering support in a peer counseling circle.

Help us support families after air disasters

ACCESS is an air disaster bereavement support network dedicated to connecting those who have survived or lost loved ones in private, military and commercial airplane crashes and other aviation tragedies with individuals who have lived through similar losses.

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What we do

Grief mentoring

Provide comfort and bereavement support through common understanding and shared experience by partnering survivors and those who have lost loved ones in air disasters with trained Volunteer Grief Mentors who have been through a similar experience.

Request Emotional Support →

Training

Provide sensitivity training presentations and workshops to companies, agencies and airlines who work with those affected by aviation disasters.

Train your air disaster teams →

Consulting

Provide consulting services to companies and airlines that respond to individuals affected by air disasters.

What we do →

Explore ACCESS

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  • Our Mission
  • Get Help: Emotional Support
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  • Surviving Sudden Loss: Our Book
  • ACCESS Golf Tournament and Events
  • ACCESS in the Press
  • Testimonials about ACCESS
  • Be an ACCESS Angel! Ways You Can Help
  • Have ACCESS Train your Air Disaster Response Teams
  • Air Disasters we have Responded to
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Become an ACCESS Angel by making a charitable donation to ACCESS Thank you to all of our generous supporters who make ACCESS possible! We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you!

Who we are

AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services (ACCESS) is a New York and San Francisco based national non-profit, tax-exempt (501c3) organization established in 1996 by Heidi Snow. It is the only organization dedicated to partnering those who have survived or lost loved ones in air disasters with professionally trained volunteers who have experienced similar losses in years past.

Heidi founded ACCESS after losing her fiancé in the TWA Flight 800 air disaster off Long Island, NY on July 17, 1996.

About Us Heidi’s Story

Our people

ACCESS has 250 trained Volunteer Grief Mentors whose firsthand experiences with aviation disasters makes them especially understanding and compassionate listeners. Each have a unique combination of hard-earned knowledge and sensitivity training and are trained to provide non-political, non-denominational emotional support to those who call ACCESS for help.

Our People Volunteer

Events that keep us connected

From the Hearts, Clubs and Aces Charity Golf Tournament to Volunteer Grief Mentor Training & Retreat gatherings, ACCESS events raise support and bring this community together.

Our Events Photo Album
Heidi Snow, founder of ACCESS.
Heidi Snow, founder of ACCESS
Friends and volunteers gathered together. A community gathering.
Joan Lunden

“I have allowed myself to be inspired by the lives of those I lost.”

Joan Lunden
Volunteers working together.

Volunteer for ACCESS

Become a Volunteer Grief Mentor, help at an event, or support the office. If you have lived through an air disaster loss, you can walk with someone who is living it now.

Volunteer for ACCESS Testimonials

Our book

Cover of Surviving Sudden Loss: Stories from those who have lived it.

Surviving Sudden Loss: Stories from those who have lived it

Book proceeds benefit ACCESS.

Purchase here

Events

ACCESS volunteers and guests at an event.
  • Hearts, Clubs & Aces Charity Golf Tournament, Cocktails & Dinner
  • Volunteer Grief Mentor Training & Retreat at Joan Lunden’s Camp Reveille
View photos from ACCESS events

About ACCESS video

  • CNN — Heidi Snow Heidi Snow featured on CNN’s Extraordinary People.
  • NBC Nightly News Heidi on NBC Nightly News with Chuck Scarborough in New York.
  • Fox News Heidi on Fox News discussing her book on the 9/11 anniversary.

ACCESS in the news

  • “After her loss, she helps others to cope.” Newsday
  • “TWA Flight 800 families mark 15th anniversary…” Washington Post
  • “The tragedies of Flight 800” People Magazine

More ACCESS in the News!

Families We’ve Helped

Below are some of the air disasters ACCESS has responded to — connecting survivors and families with people who have lived through a similar loss.

  • Air India Flight 171 Ahmedabad, India · 6/12/25
  • American Airlines/PSA Flight 5342 Washington, D.C. · 1/29/25
  • Voepass Flight 2283 Vinhedo, Brazil · 8/9/24
  • Yeti Airlines Flight 691 Pokhara, Nepal · 1/15/23
  • Air India Express Flight 1344 Kozhikode, India · 8/7/20
  • Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Bishoftu, Ethiopia · 3/10/19
  • Lion Air Flight 610 Indonesia · 10/29/18
  • US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 Kathmandu, Nepal · 3/12/18
  • Saratov Airlines Flight 703 Russia · 2/11/18
  • LaMia Flight 2933 Colombia · 11/28/16
  • EgyptAir Flight 804 Mediterranean Sea · 5/19/16
  • Flydubai Flight 981 Rostov on Don, Russia · 3/18/16
  • Meterojet Flight 9268 Sinai, Egypt · 10/31/15
  • Germanwings 9525 French Alps · 3/25/15
  • Virgin Galactic Mojave, CA · 10/31/14
  • Air Asia 8501 Surabaya · 12/28/14
  • Malaysia Airlines 17 Ukraine · 7/17/14
  • Malaysia Airlines 370 Malaysia · 3/7/14
  • Private Plane Santa Monica, CA · 9/29/13
  • Asiana Airlines 214 San Francisco, CA · 7/6/13
  • Private Plane Kenai Peninsula, AK · 7/9/13
  • Private Plane Oakland, MI · 6/21/13
  • National Air Cargo Flight Afganistan · 4/29/13
  • Private Plane Rockingham County, VA · 9/26/12
  • Flying Doctors of Mercy Plane Mexico · 6/22/12
  • Private Plane Long Beach, CA · 3/16/11
  • Private Plane Abu Dhabi · 2/27/11
  • Private Plane Barrington, NY · 12/22/10
  • Private Plane South Portland, ME · 7/17/10
  • Air India Express 5/22/10
  • Afriqiyah Airways Flight 8U771 5/12/10
  • Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 1/25/10
  • Air France Flight 447 6/1/09
  • Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 2/25/09
  • Continental Flight 3407 2/12/09
  • US Airways Flight 1549 1/15/09
  • Aeroflot 9/14/08
  • Span Air 8/20/08
  • TAM Airways 7/17/07
  • Comair Flight 5191 8/27/06
  • Airbus A320-211 Off Sochi, Russia · 5/3/06
  • Bellview Airlines 10/23/05
  • West Caribbean Airways 8/16/05
  • Air France Flight 358 8/2/05
  • Kam Air 2/3/05
  • Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 10/19/04
  • Kish Airlines Flight 1770 2/10/04
  • Georgian Express Flight 126 1/17/04
  • Flash Airlines 604 1/3/04
  • Turkish Airlines 634 1/8/03
  • US Airways Express/Air Midwest Flight 5481 1/8/03
  • American Flight 587 11/12/01
  • The events of September 11, 2001
  • Private Plane Milltown, WI · 12/3/00
  • Singapore Airlines 006 10/31/00
  • Gulf Air Bus A320 8/23/00
  • Air France Concorde 4590 6/25/00
  • Alaska Airlines 261 1/31/00
  • Egypt Air 990 10/31/99
  • American Airlines 1420 6/1/99
  • Swissair 111 9/2/98
  • Private Plane Phillips, WI · 8/4/98
  • TWA 800 Long Island, NY · 7/17/96
  • US Air 427 Allegheny County, PA · 9/8/94
  • Pan Am 103 Lockerbie, Scotland · 12/21/88
  • TWA/United Airlines – Mid-Air Collision Brooklyn, NY · 12/16/1960

…and hundreds of other private, commercial and military air disasters.

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Be an ACCESS Angel

Your gift helps ACCESS reach the next family after an air disaster — funding grief-mentor training, outreach, and the events that keep this community connected.

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ACCESS

AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services — a bereavement network for survivors and families affected by aviation tragedies.

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