A twin engined private airplane reported to be carrying six people crashed just before 9:30 Saturday morning in Lafayette, La.
Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit says five deaths have been confirmed at the scene.
Carly McCord, the daughter-in-law of LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, is one of those dead. Her husband, Steven Ensminger Jr., confirmed the death. WWL.com LSU analyst Jeff Palermo confirmed that other Ensminger family members were on a second plane that never took off and that none of the other victims were Ensminger's family.
McCord, 30, was traveling in a private plane from Lafayette to the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta with friends to watch LSU play.
WWL Sports Director Kristian Garic reports that Ensminger will coach in the college football semifinal matchup between No.1 LSU and No.4 Oklahoma today after learning of his daughter-in-law's death.
There was also speculation that Ensmingers wife was on the plane. Sources tell Garic that Ensminger's wife is safe and in Atlanta. Steve Ensminger Jr. is also safe.
Born on July 24, 1989 and raised in Baton Rouge, McCord began her career in sports journalism after graduating from Northwestern State in 2011 and Louisiana State University in 2013 with a bachelor's in broadcast journalism. Her first job was in Cleveland, Ohio, where she covered the Cleveland Browns.
Two years later, the Louisiana native returned home as a radio host for 100.7 The Tiger and 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge.
McCord's most recent positions were as a digital media reporter for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the in-game host for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. She also did freelance sports reporting for a variety of networks, including Cox Sports Television, ESPN3, and WDSU New Orleans.
A 2007 St. Michael graduate and Miss Louisiana runner up for 2011 and 2012, McCord married Steven Ensminger Jr., the son of LSU's offensive coordinator, on January 26, 2018.
Acadian Ambulance service in Lafayette reports they transported a total of four patients to hospitals, one who was on board the aircraft and three who were on the ground.
According to Flightaware.com, the aircraft is owned by Cheyenne Partners and was en route to an Atlanta area airport, taking passengers to see LSU play in the Peach Bowl.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. The plane took off from Lafayette at 9:20 AM.
The plane came down in the parking lot of the U.S. Post Service on the corner of East Verot School and Feu Follett Roads.
One corner of the post office was scorched black from the fire following the crash.
Witnesses told KLFY-TV the plane was clearly in trouble and putting out a lot of smoke as it was on its way down.
The plane reportedly struck a moving vehicle as it crashed and a person in the car was heard screaming from the fiery wreckage afterward.
A number of people reported hearing small explosions for about five minutes and a ball of fire following the crash of the plane.
Power was knocked out to the neighborhood immediately following the crash.
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