Bogalusa, United States: A Texas husband and wife were killed Thursday morning when a small plane Beechcraft H35 Bonanza crashed in a wooded area near George R. Carr Memorial Airfield in Bogalusa, Louisiana, prompting an investigation by federal and local authorities.
The crash happened at about 10:48 a.m. local time on August 6, according to local authorities. Emergency crews were called to the wooded area near the Bogalusa Airport, where they found the aircraft and two occupants. Both people aboard were pronounced dead at the scene.
The victims were identified as 68-year-old William Day and his 69-year-old wife, Tommie Day, a married couple from Seguin, Texas. No other people were reported aboard the aircraft, and authorities have not reported any additional injuries.
The circumstances leading to the crash remain unclear. The aircraft went down shortly after the incident was reported, but authorities have not publicly established whether a mechanical problem, weather, pilot-related issue or another factor contributed to the accident.
Major Michael Bracy of the Bogalusa Police Department said the cause was unknown and that an investigation was underway. An initial report from WWL/Audacy said police confirmed the crash occurred at 10:48 a.m.
As authorities continued working at the scene, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board became involved in the investigation. The NTSB said investigators would examine the wreckage and gather information that could help reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments.
Investigators are expected to review available flight-track information, air traffic control communications, maintenance records, weather information and the pilots’ backgrounds. Other potential evidence can include electronic devices and surveillance footage, depending on what investigators recover or obtain.
The wreckage was located in a wooded area near George R. Carr Memorial Airfield, also known as Bogalusa Airport. Authorities asked members of the public to stay away from the crash area while emergency personnel and investigators worked at the scene.
