Louisiana couple survives plane crash in the parish
By Shawanda Jones
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KENTWOOD, Louisiana (WDSU) — Witnesses are calling it a miracle after a Tangipahoa Parish couple survived a plane crash just seconds after takeoff from their private airstrip in Kentwood.
Will and Missy Hammack, both experienced pilots, were on board their 1976 Cessna when it nose-dived into a wooded area behind their home Sunday afternoon.
Sandy Jones, a longtime friend and neighbor, said he saw the crash unfold in real time.
“It’s one of those things you see on TV,” Jones said. “But you never expect to see it in real life.”
He said he heard the plane’s engine roar before it suddenly dove into the trees. That’s when instinct kicked in.
“Of course, I took off immediately down there because he’s a good friend of mine,” Jones said. “Just trying to find him because I knew, they probably were both hurt.”
Jones and his wife navigated the thick woods for nearly 30 minutes before they reached the wreckage. Against all odds, the Hammacks were still alive.
“They both were kind of disoriented at that time,” Jones said. “He was busted up in the face and ribs and all, because they landed straight down.”
Emergency crews from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Kentwood Fire Department were the first agencies to respond.
“Our initial response was saving lives, making sure that everyone was OK, getting them medical treatment,” said Tangipahoa Sheriff Gerald Sticker.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have since taken over the investigation to determine what caused the plane to go down so quickly after takeoff.
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