67 Dead in Mid-Air Collision — One Woman's Final Text Revealed

On Jan. 27, a 26-year-old woman aboard American Airlines^® Flight 5342 sent her husband a message just minutes before disaster struck. "We're landing in 20," Asra Hussain texted from the plane, unaware it would be the last message she would ever send, as reported by Yahoo News.

A Husband's Worst Nightmare

Hamaad Raza, Hussain's husband of two years, was eagerly awaiting her arrival at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when he received her text. He responded almost immediately, but his messages never delivered. That's when he knew something was wrong.

Hussain had been on a work trip to Wichita, Kansas, and was returning home on the ill-fated flight when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River around 9 p.m. The impact sent the plane crashing into the icy waters below, leaving dozens feared dead.

A Fatal Collision Over the Potomac

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the mid-air crash involved a Bombardier CRJ700 jet operated by PSA Airlines, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines. The aircraft was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with the military helicopter, which had three soldiers on board.

Eyewitnesses reported a fiery explosion in the sky before the plane plunged into the river. Rescue teams worked through the night in freezing temperatures, searching for survivors. Within days, all 67 bodies were recovered.

A Community in Mourning

The crash sent shockwaves through the U.S. Figure Skating community. Several members were on board, returning home from the National Development Camp in Wichita. Among the victims were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former world champion figure skaters.

In a statement, U.S. Figure Skating expressed its grief over the tragedy, noting that the victims included athletes, coaches, and family members who had just attended the National Development Camp.

Asra Hussain, a graduate of Indiana University, had always been afraid of flying, her husband revealed. She had mentioned her fear before every flight, and this trip was no different.

The Investigation Begins

Officials from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating what led to the crash. Air traffic control recordings indicate that a controller had asked the Black Hawk crew if they had the passenger jet in sight just moments before impact. There was no response.

The bodies of the plane and helicopter were found submerged in the river, with debris scattered over a wide area. Authorities are now combing through flight data and witness accounts to determine how such a devastating collision could have occurred.

References: Woman on Ill-Fated Flight Texted Husband Minutes Before Mid-Air Collision | Man Shares Heartbreaking Final Text He Received from Wife Before American Airlines Plane Crashed into Potomac River | Pictured: Wife who sent husband haunting final text just before DC plane crash that killed her and 66 others