Doctor, 2 children who were students at LSU killed in Nashville plane crash: What to know
A private plane traveling from Louisiana to Kentucky crashed south of Nashville on Wednesday, killing all three people on board.
The three people killed were identified as Dr. Lucius Doucet III by his employer, Williamson Cosmetic Center, a medical spa in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his two adult children, Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet, Louisiana State University announced.
The single-engine, fixed wing plane was a Beech V35, tail number N47WT. It was registered in January in Baton Rouge to Doucet, according to reporting by The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Officials have not yet identified the people on board, but said all three were adults.
Here's what to know about the plane crash.
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Where did the plane crash in Tennessee?
The plane crash happened in the area of Bending Chestnut Road and Davis Hollow Road near the Natchez Trace Parkway in Williamson County, about 50 miles southwest of Nashville.
"The wreckage is over a half-mile radius," National Transportation Safety Board investigator Aaron McCarter said during a Thursday news conference. "It was widely dispersed, indicative of an in-flight break up."
Pieces of the plane are spread out around hilly and flat terrain, in water and over farm land, McCarter said. Between 15-20 people were on site collecting parts of the plane for transport to a secure facility in Springfield, Tennessee. McCarter estimated Thursday that they had collected about 75% of the plane.
"We have all four corners. The tail, both wings and the majority of the fuselage," McCarter said. He did not yet have an explanation for the in-air break-up, but said he'd look at the human, machine and environmental elements.
"We do have reports of some minor convective activity. If weather didn’t cause the accident, it was a factor in it," he said.
Where was the plane headed?
The plane, identified as a Beech V35, N47WT, took off from Baton Rouge, Louisiana around 8:53 a.m., according to FlightAware, a tracking website.
The plane was scheduled to land in Louisville, Kentucky around 1 p.m.
Dr. Lucius Doucet III and his children
Doucett was a practicing plastic surgeon in Baton Rouge. He graduated from Tulane University Medical School in June 1987, a spokesman for the university said.
He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center before he was accepted into a plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine, according to a biography from Williamson Cosmetic Center.
According to a post on his Instagram, Doucet had been a licensed pilot since 2016.
He was a father of three.
The Williamson Cosmetic Center said the sudden loss of Doucet "has left a deep void in our hearts and in our practice," according to a Facebook post made Thursday morning.
"Dr. Doucet was not only an exceptional surgeon, but also a compassionate man who touched the lives of countless individuals within our community," the center said. "His dedication to his patients was unmatched, and his kindness and empathy were felt by all who has the privilege of knowing him."
LSU to honor plane crash victims Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet
Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet were both seniors at Louisiana State University and were scheduled to graduate Friday, the university said.
"We are devastated to hear this news, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Doucet family and all those close to them," the university said. "We will honor both students at their respective commencement ceremonies, and we will do everything possible to help support those in our community who are impacted by this tragedy."
