Date & Time: Dec 28, 2019 at 0920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31 Cheyenne
Registration:
N42CV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Lafayette - Atlanta
MSN:
31T-8020067
YOM:
1980
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
4
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Lafayette Airport runway 22L at 0918 on a private flight to Atlanta-DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Georgia, carrying five passengers and one pilot. During initial climb, at an altitude of 375 feet, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near a post office in Lafayette, bursting into flames. Debris scattered on a large area and at least one vehicle (a taxi) was hit. A passenger on the plane as well as three people on the ground were seriously injured while five other occupants in the plane were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. It is believed the airplane may struck power cables during initial climb.