Update of Jeff Davis crop duster crash - KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Update of Jeff Davis crop duster crash

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JEFF DAVIS PARISH, LA (KPLC) -

 

New discoveries in the crop-duster plane crash that killed a pilot William Precht Jr. of Iowa. 

Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff Ivy Woods gave KPLC new information the day after the tragic accident.

In a field off of Highway 1126 is where the crop-duster plane was found along with the body of Precht. 

After not responding to calls, co-workers began searching for the plane. In the darkness of the night on Friday, Feb. 15, it was hard to see what caused the plane to crash. But during the day on Saturday, Feb. 16, it was easier to tell.

"He's been a crop duster for 30 years," Woods said. "Over 30 years."

Woods said it seemed the crop-duster snagged some line to a nearby communications tower, which he said was the cause of the crash. And now the evidence is clear, according to Woods.

"You can see where the top of the wires have been loosened up on the tower," he said. "And now they have some damage on top of the tower with some antennas that should be straight up and now they're down facing the bottom and they are facing toward the south."

Damage to the tower which couldn't be seen the night before when the crash occurred. And because it was so dark Friday night, the wires were practically invisible to a pilot.

"It's just one of those freak accidents that happens to the best of the pilots," Woods said.

And here on Castex Landing off of Highway 1126 in Jeff Davis Parish, family and friends visit the crash site where their loved one's life tragically ended.

According to Sheriff Woods, no funeral arrangement has been made as of yet. He said the plane crash site is on private property and asks residents and people in the area not to trespass.

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