Dr. Lucius Doucet, LSU students among victims

The single-engine, fixed-wing plane that crashed south of Nashville in Williamson County was “severely out of control” before the crash, officials said.

“The wreckage is within a radius of more than a half mile,” National Transportation Safety Board investigator Aaron McCarter said Thursday during a news conference at 3 p.m. “It was widely distributed, which indicated an in-flight rupture.”

According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the plane was registered to Dr. in January. Lucius Doucet III. Doucet was identified as the crash victim by his employer, Williamson Cosmetic Center, a medical spa in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The other two victims were identified as his two adult children, Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet. Louisiana State University announced.

More: Private Louisiana plane crashes south of Nashville, killing three: What to know

Officials have not yet publicly identified the victims, but they say they are all adults.

Parts of the plane are scattered over hilly and flat terrain, in water and over farmland, McCarter said. Between 15 and 20 people are on site to collect parts of the aircraft for transport to a secure location in Springfield, Tennessee.

The crash occurred in the area of Bending Chestnut Road and Davis Hollow Road near the Natchez Trace Parkway, about 50 miles southwest of Nashville.

McCarter estimated Thursday that they have collected about 75% of the plane.

“We have all four corners. The tail, both wings and most of the fuselage,” McCarter said. He did not yet have an explanation for the mid-air breakup, but said he would look at the human, machine and environmental elements.

“We do have reports of minor convective activity. If the weather did not cause the accident, it did play a role,” he said.

The plane did not have a black box, but it did have two data cards, McCarter said, although he is unsure if any information will be extracted from them.

The first 911 call came in at 12:05 p.m., Jill Burgin, spokesperson for the Williamson County EMA, said Wednesday. The caller reported hearing a loud noise and seeing debris, she said.

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 university spokesman said.

He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center before being 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.

“His love of family, food and music led him back to Louisiana,” his biography said. “He enjoys spending time with his family and friends when he is not pursuing his favorite hobby, aviation.”

According to a post on his Instagram page, Doucet had been a licensed pilot since 2016.

He was the father of three children.

The Williamson Cosmetic Center said Doucet’s sudden loss “has left a deep void in our hearts and in our practice,” according to a Facebook post 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 unparalleled, and his kindness and empathy were felt by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

LSU honors plane crash victims Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet

Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet both attended Louisiana State University and were expected to graduate on Friday, the university said.

“We are devastated to hear this news, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Doucet family and everyone close to them,” the university said. “We will honor both students at their respective commencement ceremonies, and we will do everything we can to help support those in our community affected by this tragedy.”