Man killed in Church Point plane crash at sunset

CHURCH POINT, La. – A plane crash Tuesday afternoon killed 47-year-old Nick Van Houten of Sunset.

Adam Doucet, a nearby neighbor, told KATC that he saw the plane flying earlier in the afternoon.

“The last time I saw him, I was walking to my mailbox and he came up behind me and his engine was roaring and he turned east from here,” Doucet said. “He went to the runway and flew over the runway but he didn’t land, he was too high up.”

Doucet explained that he and his wife were not at home when the plane crashed, but his home cameras captured the incident.

“We left to go into town and when we came back the crash was there, but I was able to watch a video,” Doucet said. “I hate using the word explosion… I didn’t see any flames or anything, but it looks like something burst and kind of splattered, and then it spiraled until it hit the ground .”

A family friend, who described Nick as a fantastic person, said: “He was always there to help anyone who needed help, whether it was something small or help with a plane. Nick also came from a flying family and was a very experienced pilot.” “

Those who knew Nick told KATC that he was engaged and would be getting married soon.

Although Adam did not know the pilot personally, he expressed his condolences.

“It’s sad for everyone, whether it’s a mother, father, wife, baby, sibling, child or whatever… It’s sad for the family,” Doucet said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is asking anyone with information about the plane crash to contact them at [email protected].