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Lafayette, La., Plane Crash Kills 5, Including Relative of an L.S.U. Football Coach Lafayette, La., Plane Crash Kills 5, Including Relative of an L.S.U. Football Coach
(about 3 hours later)
A sports reporter who was the daughter-in-law of a Louisiana State University football coach died on Saturday morning with four other people after a small plane crashed in the parking lot of a post office in Lafayette, La., hours before kickoff in a playoff game, the authorities said. A sports reporter related to a Louisiana State University football coach was among the five people who died on their way to the team’s playoff game on Saturday after a small plane crashed in Lafayette, La., the authorities said.
The reporter, Carley Anne McCord, 30, who was married to the son of L.S.U.’s offensive coordinator, was among the victims, officials said. The plane was headed to Atlanta, where top-ranked L.S.U. was scheduled to play Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl in the afternoon, with a spot in the national championship game at stake. The reporter, Carley McCord, 30, was a daughter-in-law of Steve Ensminger, the offensive coordinator for L.S.U. She and the other passengers were heading to Atlanta, where top-ranked L.S.U. squared off against Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl on Saturday for a spot in the national championship game.
Alton Trahan, a spokesman for the Lafayette Fire Department, said it appeared all of the passengers were headed to Atlanta for the game. Ed Orgeron, the head coach for L.S.U., said in a pregame interview with ESPN that Mr. Ensminger and his family were distraught but that he would still coach the game.
Michael Bonnette, a spokesman for the L.S.U. football team, said that Ms. McCord’s father-in-law, Steve Ensminger, would still coach in the game. Mr. Ensminger, clad in a purple and gold windbreaker, walked on to the field about 45 minutes before kickoff, his face tight as he stood alone and watched his team’s warm-up drills. “Steve’s a Tiger, he’s a man, he knows how to handle things,” Mr. Orgeron said.
Chief Robert P. Benoit of the Lafayette Fire Department said just one of the six people on board the plane had survived the crash. That person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Three other people on the ground were taken to hospitals. Mr. Ensminger, a Louisiana native who played quarterback for L.S.U. in the 1970s, took the field about 45 minutes before kickoff, clad in a purple and gold windbreaker. He was shown on television calling plays from the booth during the game.
A spokeswoman for the city identified the others killed as Ian E. Biggs, 51, who was the pilot; Robert Vaughn Crisp II, 59; Gretchen D. Vincent, 51; and Michael Walker Vincent, 15. Ms. McCord covered football and basketball as a freelance reporter for Cox Sports Television, ESPN 3 and WDSU, a television station in New Orleans, according to her website. She also had worked as a digital media reporter for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and as an in-game host, an M.C. role, at games for the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Stephen Wade Berzas, 37, was identified as the passenger who survived. All of the plane’s passengers appeared to have been flying to Atlanta for the game, said Alton Trahan, a spokesman for the Lafayette Fire Department.
Ms. McCord covered several sports as a freelance reporter for Cox Sports Television, ESPN 3 and WDSU, a local television station, according to her website. But the plane crashed into the parking lot of a post office shortly before 9:30 a.m., less than two miles from the Lafayette Regional Airport, where it had taken off. The crash sent chunks of metal into a nearby field and flames billowing near mail trucks.
Joel Vilmenay, the president and general manager of WDSU, said the station was devastated by her death. An exterior wall of the brick post office was left blackened. The site of the crash was near several apartment complexes, restaurants and other businesses. Nearby residents said that their lights went out after they heard the crash.
“Carley’s passion for sports journalism and her deep knowledge of Louisiana sports, from high school to the professional ranks, made her an exceptional journalist,” he said in a statement. In addition to Ms. McCord, the authorities identified the victims as Ian E. Biggs, 51, the pilot; Robert Vaughn Crisp II, 59; Gretchen D. Vincent, 51; and Michael Walker Vincent, 15.
The plane struck a car in the parking lot when it crashed shortly before 9:30 a.m., engulfing the car in flames and injuring someone inside, Mr. Trahan said. The three people on the ground who were hurt included that person and two postal workers, he said. Only one of the six people aboard the two-engine Piper Cheyenne plane survived the crash. He was identified as Stephen Wade Berzas, 37, and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, fire officials said.
One woman on the ground was taken to Lafayette General Medical Center in critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said, and then transferred to the University Medical Center New Orleans. When it crashed, the plane struck a car in the post office parking lot, engulfing the car in flames and injuring someone inside, said Mr. Trahan, the spokesman. That person and two Postal Service workers were taken to local hospitals, he added.
Another patient, also in critical condition, was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Information on the other two patients was not immediately available. Nearby hospitals confirmed receiving two people in critical condition. One was a woman on the ground who was taken to Lafayette General Medical Center and transferred to the University Medical Center New Orleans. The other person in critical condition was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette.
The plane, a two-engine Piper Cheyenne, which can hold up to eight passengers, was heading to Atlanta but crashed one mile west of Lafayette Regional Airport, where it had taken off, said Tony Molinaro, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. He said investigators did not yet know what caused the crash. Information on the other two patients was not immediately available.
Videos and photographs from the scene showed chunks of metal in a field next to the post office and flames billowing near mail trucks. Lois Comeaux was at a Walmart near the post office when she heard a “big boom,” she said, and the store went dark. Ms. Comeaux, who lives about 300 feet from where the plane crashed, said that she could see pieces of the plane behind the post office, and that some of the post office’s windows had been blown out by the force of the crash.
An exterior wall of the brick post office was left blackened, and nearby residents said their lights had gone out after they heard the crash. “There’s a big vacant lot, and there are three big pieces of plane,” she said from near the scene.
Lois Comeaux was at a Walmart near the post office when she heard a “big boom” and the store went dark. Ms. Comeaux, who lives about 300 feet from where the plane crashed, said that she could see pieces of the plane behind the post office, and that some of the post office’s windows had been blown out by the force of the crash.
“There’s a big vacant lot, and there are three big pieces of plane,” she said.
Emergency vehicles had swarmed the area and firefighters put out small fires.
Rebecca Simon said she had just pulled into her garage, less than a mile from the site of the crash, when she heard a plane fly unusually low over her house.Rebecca Simon said she had just pulled into her garage, less than a mile from the site of the crash, when she heard a plane fly unusually low over her house.
“Right after, there was a really loud noise that shook the garage door, and the electricity blinked, then went out,” she said.“Right after, there was a really loud noise that shook the garage door, and the electricity blinked, then went out,” she said.
Her roommate called the electric company to find out what was going on, but then they heard sirens and saw smoke outside. Ms. Simon’s roommate called the electricity company to find out what was going on, but then they heard sirens and went outside.
Investigators from the F.A.A. and the National Transportation Safety Board were on their way to the scene of the crash. Fellow sports reporters recalled Ms. McCord’s passion and upbeat attitude — both on and off the sidelines. In addition to her journalism career, Ms. McCord finished twice as the first runner-up in the Miss Louisiana competition, in 2011 and 2012, winning $10,000 in scholarships. In 2013, she auditioned for “The Bachelor,” appearing in a Pierre Thomas Saints jersey. In outtakes from the audition, Ms. McCord said that she was a nationally ranked power lifter at age 14, and that she enjoyed competing in fantasy football.
Alan Blinder contributed reporting. Jennifer Hale, a sideline reporter for Fox Sports and Fox Sports New Orleans, said she had mentored Ms. McCord and watched her successfully balance the demands of being an in-game host for the Pelicans with her work as a television correspondent.
“That’s a difficult balance to go from the cheerful, fun-loving M.C. to being the journalist who sometimes has to ask tough questions,” Ms. Hale said, adding that Ms. McCord was a hard worker who made the most of her opportunities.
“She had it all going on,” Ms. Hale said. “She had this zest for life. She was certainly an up-and-comer in the Louisiana sports world.”
Joel Vilmenay, the president and general manager of WDSU, said the station was devastated by her death.
“Carley’s passion for sports journalism and her deep knowledge of Louisiana sports, from high school to the professional ranks, made her an exceptional journalist,” he said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, which is the second to kill a Louisiana television reporter this year.
In August, Nancy Parker, 53, an Emmy Award-winning journalist for Fox 8 in New Orleans, died when a Pitts S2B aerobatic airplane crashed shortly after takeoff. Ms. Parker had been working on a story about the biplane’s pilot, who was also killed in the crash at New Orleans Lakefront Airport.
“Everybody is just in shock,” said Ms. Hale, who said that Ms. Parker had been her mentor. “No way. How does this happen to two amazing, wonderful people within a few months of each other?”
Alan Blinder and Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.