NEW ORLEANS — The initial report from the NTSB on the plane crash that killed New Orleans news anchor Nancy Parker and pilot/activist Franklin Augustus reveals that the pilot called the tower to request a return shortly after take off, but did not say why.
According to the report, The tower acknowledged his request, but he never turned around.
Witnesses said the plane went into a steep descent less than a mile from the airport.
Evidence shows the plane hit the ground at a 45-degree angle, nose down. The wreckage has been moved to an NTSB facility for a detailed investigation. That report is still to come.
The NTSB noted that the plane's maintenance logs showed that proper maintenance was conducted and there were no issues before take off.
Besides being a stunt pilot and avid flyer, Augustus was a longtime community activist, a U.S. Army veteran (Military Police), the president of the Lake Charles Tuskegee Airmen Chapter and a New Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office reserve deputy.
WVUE FOX 8 Anchor Nancy Parker was the sole passenger. She was creating a special report to honor the career and work of the pilot.