A tragic flight in May ended in devastation as a plane crashed near Franklin, killing three members of a family. The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report that sheds light on the circumstances surrounding the mid-May accident that claimed the lives of Dr. Lucius "Tre" Doucet, and his two children, Giselle and Jean Luc, as reported by WSMV.
The fatal flight took off from Louisiana Regional Airport in Gonzales, Louisiana. Dr. Doucet, an accomplished plastic surgeon, piloted the Beech V35 with his children, both students at LSU set to graduate that weekend. Aboard the plane, Giselle was studying veterinary medicine, and Jean Luc was earning a degree in engineering. The aircraft was en route to Bowman Field Airport in Louisville, Kentucky to pick up a passenger before returning to Louisiana, shared FOX17.
According to the NTSB's findings, during the climb to 9,000 feet, Dr. Doucet had requested a deviation from air traffic control, which was granted. Despite the lack of clarification on the reason for the deviation from both the pilot and the controller, the plane was cleared to head towards the EWO VORTAC in New Hope, Kentucky. However, this approval preceded the last transmission received from the aircraft, the NTSB report delineated.
The journey turned fatal near the southern outskirts of Williamson County, close to Bending Chestnut Road. Information from the FAA indicated difficulties about 15 minutes into the flight as the pilot climbed to 9,000 feet and then descended to 7,000 feet before approaching the Nashville International Airport airspace, according to WKRN. The aircraft briefly rose again to 9,500 feet before being directed to maintain a lower altitude, which was confirmed by Dr. Doucet shortly before the crash.
Further investigation is expected as the NTSB continues to piece together this tragic event that ended three promising lives too soon. The final report, when complete, aims to offer closure on what went wrong during that fateful flight on May 15.
