Two Indian Americans Among Victims of Fatal Midair Collision at Ronald Reagan National Airport

Two Indian Americans were among the 67 people tragically killed on January 29 in a midair collision between an Army helicopter and a commercial jetliner at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The victims, Vikesh Patel, an employee at GE Aerospace, and Asra Hussain Raza, a consultant who frequently traveled to Wichita, Kansas, were aboard the American Airlines flight that originated from Wichita.

Hussain, a graduate of Indiana University with a major in healthcare policy, hailed from Carmel, Indiana. She lived in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Hamaad Raza, a graduate of the IU Kelley School of Business. Her father-in-law, Hashim Raza, shared fond memories of her, calling her a “beautiful, brilliant woman” who was “always smiling, artistic, and academically brilliant.” He expressed his honor in being her father-in-law for two years.

Vikesh Patel was described as a “cherished colleague” by Larry Culp, Chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace, where Patel worked for over a decade. Culp expressed the company’s sorrow, stating, “This is a tragedy not only for our industry but also for the GE Aerospace team. Our hearts are with his family and all those impacted by this horrific accident.”

Patel, who held multiple roles at GE Aerospace, including Engine Assembly Engineer, Production Planner, and Senior Operations Manager, graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also earned a Master’s in Logistics, Material, and Supply Chain Management from Penn State University.