NEW ORLEANS -- A twin-engine plane carrying three people on a flight from Nebraska crashed into Lake Pontchartrain in heavy fog Thursday while on approach to New Orleans Lakefront Airport.
The fuselage was located in about 25 feet of water, about 100 feet off the runway. There was no sign of survivors.
Two Coast Guard helicopters and six rescue boats searched the area in near-zero visibility for wreckage. The search continued well after dark with the Coast Guard cutter Point Spencer, but authorities said it would probably be called off and would resume at dawn.
The Orleans Levve Board, which operates the airport, reported the Piper Aztec, with a capacity of six, was en route from Grand Island, Neb., with three people aboard.
The plane's owners were listed as Hornady Manufacturing Co. of Grand Island, a bullet manufacturer. The pilot was tentatively identified as Joyce Hornady.
Several pieces of the plane were recovered, including a section of the wing.
A National Transportation Safety Board official was dispatched to investigate the accident.
The Orleans Levve Board, which operates the airport, reported the Piper Aztec, with a capacity of six, was en route from Grand Island, Neb., with three people aboard.
The plane's owners were listed as Hornady Manufacturing Co. of Grand Island, a bullet manufacturer. The pilot was tentativelyidentified as Joyce Hornady.
Several pieces of the plane were recovered, including a section of the wing.
A National Transportation Safety Board official was dispatched to investigate the accident.
Divers were sent to the crash site to inspect the wreckage but were unable to enter it on their first attempt.
'The divers went down but were unable to get in,' said Coast Guard Lt. Bob Brooks. 'We also have a surface craft (searching the area) to see if anybody floated free or anything.'
The crash occurred not far from the spot where six people were killed when a business jet crashed last fall while approaching the airport in heavy fog.
An airport security officer saw the plane go down about 2:15 p.m. off the north end of the main runway.
'He was cleared for approach,' said Peter David, facility chief control tower. 'That was our last transmission with him.
'We don't have that much traffic,' he said. 'Nobody's flying because of the weather.'
