Louisiana surgeon, two adult children set to graduate from LSU, die in plane crash

Greg Hilburn, Kirsten Fiscus and Jacob Beckwith, Shreveport Times
·2 min read

A prominent Louisiana plastic surgeon from Baton Rouge and two of his adult children who were set to graduate from LSU Friday died in a plane crash near Nashville Wednesday morning.

Lucius J. Doucet III and two of his adult children Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet, as identified by LSU, died in the crash about 20 miles south of Nashville.

The single-engine, fixed wing plane that crashed south of Nashville in Williamson County was "violently out of control" before the crash, officials said.

"The wreckage is over a half-mile radius," National Transportation Safety Board investigator Aaron McCarter said during a 3 p.m. news conference Thursday. "It was widely dispersed, indicative of an in-flight break up."

Doucet workd at Williamson Cosmetic Center. He was also an assistant clinical professor at LSU and Tulane Universitys' Plastic Surgery Fellowship Programs.

The Williamson Cosmetic Center said the sudden loss of Doucet "has left a deep void in our hearts and in our practice," according to a Thursday Facebook post.

Dr. Lucius Doucet, a practicing plastic surgeon from Baton Rouge, Lousiana, died when the Beech V35 plane he was piloting crashed in Williamson County on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.
Dr. Lucius Doucet, a practicing plastic surgeon from Baton Rouge, Lousiana, died when the Beech V35 plane he was piloting crashed in Williamson County on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

According to his biography, aviation was Doucet's favorite hobby.

"Dr. Doucet was not only an exceptional surgeon, but also a compassionate man who touched the lives of countless individuals within our community," the center said. "His dedication to his patients was unmatched, and his kindness and empathy were felt by all who has the privilege of knowing him."

The plane, identified as a Beech V35, N47WT, took off from Baton Rouge, Louisiana around 8:53 a.m., according to FlightAware, a tracking website. The plane was scheduled to land in Louisville, Ky., around 1 p.m.

Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet had been scheduled to graduate Friday.

"We are devastated to hear this news, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Doucet family and all those close to them," the university said. "We will honor both students at their respective commencement ceremonies, and we will do everything possible to help support those in our community who are impacted by this tragedy."

Doucet left the Louisiana Regional Airport in Gonzales around 9 a.m. Wednesday

The Nashville Tennessean and reporters Kirsten Fiscus and Jacob Beckwith contributed to this report.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. 

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana surgeon, two adult children from LSU die in plane crash