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Flight Instructor, 30, and Student Presumed Dead After Plane Crashes into Lake Pontchartrain

The single-engine plane carrying 30-year-old instructor Taylor Dickey and an adult student disappeared over Lake Pontchartrain on Nov. 24 after departing Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport. By Nov. 30, wreckage had been located using sonar, dive teams and K9 units, and both occupants are presumed dead. Preliminary information has not indicated a mechanical failure, though official investigations are ongoing. A petition seeks to honor Dickey by renaming the airfield.

03:26 AM, 12/01/2025Society
Flight Instructor, 30, and Student Presumed Dead After Plane Crashes into Lake Pontchartrain

A flight instructor, 30-year-old Taylor Dickey, and an adult flight student are presumed dead after their single-engine aircraft disappeared over Lake Pontchartrain on Nov. 24. The pair had departed Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport and vanished about an hour into the flight, authorities said.

Wreckage Located, Search Continues

By Nov. 30, search teams had located wreckage using specialized sonar equipment, dive teams and K9 units, according to updates from local volunteer search organizations assisting the recovery effort. Official agencies, including the Coast Guard, have been involved in the response.

Investigation Underway

Michael Carastro, owner of the flight school that owned the aircraft, said both occupants are now considered "presumed dead." He added that preliminary information did not point to a mechanical failure, though he emphasized that investigators are still working and no definitive cause has been determined. Carastro also said there was no distress call from the plane.

"It was an unbelievable tragedy," Carastro said, describing the emotional toll on staff and students at the flight school.

About the Instructor

Carastro noted that Dickey had been building flight hours and was approaching roughly 1,200–1,300 total hours — about 200 hours short of the typical threshold some pilots reach before moving on to airline careers. He said the student shared similar ambitions. Dickey’s family, including her father who is also a pilot, has been described as devastated.

Community Response

A petition has been launched asking officials to consider renaming the Gulfport–Biloxi airfield to "Taylor Dickey Field" as a way to honor her impact on the local flight-training community. Volunteers, local agencies and national authorities continue to work together to recover evidence and determine what happened.

Authorities contacted for follow-up, including federal aviation agencies and local law enforcement, had not issued additional public statements at the time of reporting. Investigators continue their work to establish the sequence of events that led to the crash.

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