Aviation community await preliminary report in seaplane crash
LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson says the bodies of the victims were recovered from the crash site.
'Our biggest, last night, was finding those two victims for the families, to give them some closure. And then again, just finishing up the recovery efforts of the aircraft,' said Chaisson.
Chaisson says the recovery operation on Thursday was successful.
Seaplane crash in Lafourche Parish leaves two dead
Teams were able to recover the bodies of the two pilots Lyle Panepinto and Lauren Menkemeller, who had crashed after taking off from New Orleans Wednesday night.
'We found about 90% of the aircraft last night. So at this point, it's just a matter of putting those pieces, back onshore on a trailer, and getting those turned over to NTSB and FAA so they can, you know, reconstruct the aircraft and finalize their investigation,' said Chaisson.
As the efforts to recover the wreckage continue, the National Transportation Safety Board has opened its investigation. It will focus on three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment.
Those a part of the aviation community, such as Emmet Bartholomew remain in disbelief over the news of the crash.
'We had two of our highly extreme, extremely experienced pilots in this airplane. We have to think that there were some other external circumstances to either aircraft malfunction or something. That was a weather phenomenon that would have caused it,' said Bartholomew.
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Even as they mourn, Bartholomew says they will let the board conduct its investigation and await its preliminary report, which will be released within 30 days.
'We don't speculate on anything. We want to wait for the NTSB preliminary report to come out,' said Bartholomew.
The Lakefront Airport currently has its flag at half-staff in honor of both Panepinto and Menkemiller, who Bartholomew says will be remembered as outstanding pilots.
'Not only with his company and Southern seaplane but with him, helping so many pilots throughout his years as a designated practical examiner for the FAA. Lauren is so passionate about aviation. And, you could see that she was just a young star just waiting to come out,' said Bartholomew.
The NTSB is asking witnesses of the accident, those who have surveillance video, or any other information that could be relevant to the investigation, to contact them.Medal of Honor recipient briefly removed from Naval History website
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