Plane Went Down Near Quachta Correctional Center In Richwood, LA

A Beech A36 Bonanza (similar aircraft pictured in file photo, not accident airplane) with four people on board went down Thursday afternoon near the Quachta Correctional Center in Richwood, LA, resulting in the fatal injury to all of the occupants of the airplane.

The online news site newsstar.com reports that the pilot of the airplane contacted for Monroe (LA) Regional Airport at about 1345 CDT Thursday prior to making an initial approach. Contact with the plane was reportedly lost about four minutes later.

The aircraft was registered to Central Flying Service of Little Rock, AR. Two of the passengers listed on a manifest, Dean Hart Sr. of West Monroe, LA ... the owner of Hart Commercial Investments ... and Max Larche, an engineer working for Lazenby & Associates also in West Monroe, had been attending a business meeting in Beaumont, TX. A third passenger, Monroe resident Don Thompson, was also on the list. The pilot was not named.

Witnesses told authorities that they heard the plane "sputter" before entering a steep dive prior to impact. Firefighters reportedly had to use ATVs to reach the remote accident scene, a densely wooded area near the correctional facility.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov