LAFAYETTE, La. — A small passenger plane crashed in a field in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Saturday, killing five people and injuring four others, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Channel 2 Action News has learned the plane was headed to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport to attend the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game.
Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit confirmed five people on board the plane were killed when it crashed in a field by a post office.
One passenger in the plane survived and was taken to an area hospital, the Daily Advertiser of Lafayette reported. Three bystanders also were hurt, the newspaper reported.
KATC reported the Lafayette Fire Department has identified the five victims as:
- Ian E. Biggs, the plane’s pilot, 51
- Robert Vaughn Crisp II, 59
- Carley Ann McCord, 30
- Gretchen D. Vincent, 51
- Michael Walker Vincent, 15
Sunday would have been Vincent’s 16th birthday, ABC News learned.
The passenger who survived the crash has been identified as 37-year-old Stephen Wade Berzas. He remains in critical condition at a local hospital.
McCord is the daughter-in-law of Louisiana State offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger.
Steven Ensminger Jr. told The Associated Press that his wife was on board. McCord was a sports reporter for an NBC station in New Orleans and sideline reporter for ESPN and others.
Ensminger, who coached at UGA in the early 90s, stayed at the Peach Bowl and coached the Tigers in their win over Oklahoma.
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron spoke about McCord’s death after the game.
Following @LSUfootball's amazing win in the @CFAPeachBowl @Coach_EdOrgeron talked about the tragic loss of @wdsu and @CoxSportsTV sports reporter Carley McCord (who was also the daughter-in-law of Tigers OC Steve Ensminger) pic.twitter.com/PXcy3wExCM
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) December 29, 2019
“We are sending so many thoughts and prayers to the Ensminger family, as well as Carley McCord’s family.”
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 28, 2019
Carley McCord, daughter-in-law of LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, died in a plane crash while en route to the Tigers' CFP semifinal. pic.twitter.com/hY4zwujHGC
ESPN: @Coach_EdOrgeron was the first person to break the tragic news to @LSUfootball offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger.
— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) December 28, 2019
https://t.co/nCdDAlA60M
The National Safety Transportation Board is investigating the plane crash and what caused it.
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