Pakistani woman among those killed in American Airlines crash

All 67 individuals aboard the two aircraft lost their lives after a US military Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 midair on January 30. Among the victims was a Pakistani woman, Asra Hussain, who had always felt uneasy about flying.

Asra Hussain, 26, was traveling on Flight 5342 when the plane was suddenly struck by the military helicopter. 

Her husband, Hammad Raza, told local media that his wife had sent him a text message at around 8 pm, as the flight neared Reagan National Airport, saying that the plane was “landing in 20 minutes.”

Hammad, 25, who was waiting for the news of his wife's rescue at Terminal 2 of Reagan National Airport, described his anguish after his messages stopped delivering.

“I'm just praying that somebody's pulling her out of the river right now, as we speak. That's all I can pray for, I'm just praying to God,” he told WUSA9.

Asra had been in Wichita, Kansas, for work and was returning home when disaster struck.

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Hammad Raza, an accountant at Ernst & Young, is originally from Missouri. He and Asra graduated from Indiana University. The couple had been married for two years.

Hammad’s father, Dr Hashim Raza, is a distinguished doctor from Karachi and a graduate of Dow University. He currently serves at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.

The plane crashed into shallow waters of the Potomac River, with its wreckage recovered in three pieces. However, all bodies have yet to be retrieved.

Initial investigations suggest that an understaffed airport control tower may have played a role in the accident. Reports indicate that a single air traffic controller was performing the duties typically assigned to two people.

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It was also revealed that the pilot of Flight 5342 was instructed at the last minute to change runways. The aircraft was diverted to a shorter runway after receiving clearance from the control tower.

Thirty seconds before the crash, the air traffic controller reportedly asked the Black Hawk pilot if he had visual contact with the approaching passenger plane. The controller then instructed the helicopter to allow the aircraft to pass first before proceeding. However, the helicopter pilot did not respond. Moments later, the collision occurred.

Investigators also found that the plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting signals just 2,400 feet from the runway. At that moment, the aircraft was flying over the Potomac River.

The tragedy, considered the deadliest air disaster in the US since 9/11, raised serious concerns about airport safety protocols. Another aircraft had to be prevented from landing at the same airport just a day before the crash.