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26-year-old Carmel woman killed in American Airlines plane, military helicopter collision

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A 26-year-old woman from central Indiana was one of the victims in a crash involving an American Airlines passenger jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter over Washington, D.C. late Wednesday night.

Asra Hussain, a Carmel native and Indiana University graduate, was on the American Airlines flight, her family told WRTV. She is survived by her husband, Hamaad Raza.

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"She was kind, academically brilliant, a wonderful cook, and my son's best friend," said Hashim Raza, Asra Hussain's father-in-law. "I'm a physician. I have seen so much death. I've healed, and I've counseled. I've never felt this."

The plane involved was American Eagle Flight 5342, which originated from Wichita, Kansas. It collided with the helicopter as it was preparing to land Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.

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Asra Hussain and Hamaad Raza on their wedding day with officiant Imam Ahmed Alamine.

Raza said Hussain was returning from a work trip concerning healthcare policy at a Wichita hospital, which she had done repeatedly leading up to the crash.

"This was just a routine trip back. She actually could have delayed her trip by a day, but she wanted to get back."

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Former Fort Wayne mayor Paul Helmke taught Hussain during her freshman year at Indiana University as part of the Civic Leaders Center program.

"She was a very intense, very concerned fun young woman who wanted to make a difference in the world," Helmke said.

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Helmke and Raza are both still processing Hussain's sudden death.

"To lose someone as bright and as nice as Asra, it's tough for me and tough for all of us," Helmke said.

"I don't know what God's plan is, but it is what it is," Raza said. It's hard, but we're dealing with it."

Imam Ahmed Alamine, director of religious affairs at the Indianapolis Muslim Community Association, released the following statement on social media following her death:

We have been informed that a member of our Indianapolis Muslim community was on board American Airlines Flight 5342, which crashed in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night. I am in touch with the family and will make an announcement once the victim has been positively identified and the family has been properly notified by the authorities. I urge everyone to respect the family’s privacy, refrain from making any public statements, and wait for the appropriate time and channel for further updates. Please keep them in your sincere duaa during this difficult time.