Mystery Deepens as Beloved Pilot Taylor Dickey, 30, and Navy Lieutenant David Jahn Die After Aircraft Plunges Into Louisiana Lake

A growing mystery surrounding the deaths of 30-year-old professional pilot and flight instructor Taylor Dickey and her student, Navy Lieutenant David Michael Jahn, after their small aircraft crashed into a Louisiana lake last week.

Dickey and Jahn departed Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport on November 24 at 5:43 p.m. in a Cessna Skyhawk for a training flight. Roughly an hour later, at about 6:30 p.m., the plane disappeared from radar as it flew over Lake Pontchartrain, about four miles north of New Orleans Lakefront Airport, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The owner of Apollo Flight Training, Michael Carastro, where Dickey worked as an instructor, confirmed that no distress call was made before radar contact was lost. It remains unclear who was at the controls at the time of the crash, as pilots often switch positions during training sessions.

Carastro emphasized that Dickey was “highly qualified” and that the Cessna had undergone routine maintenance, receiving service every 100 operating hours in compliance with federal regulations.

Dickey had been providing Jahn with instrument flight training in marginal weather conditions—conditions near the limits permitted under NOAA’s Visual Flight Rules. Flying over water posed even more challenges due to the absence of clear visual horizons, Carastro noted.

Calling the event an “unbelievable tragedy,” he added:
“I've been instructing for 46 years. I've never had this happen. It’s devastating for all of us.”

Roughly an hour after the aircraft vanished, search teams noticed discoloration in the water and later recovered a seat cushion and pieces of debris that Carastro said were “unique” to the plane involved.

The search effort—conducted by air, boat, and specialized wildlife officials—continued for two days before being suspended. However, on Friday, the United Cajun Navy announced they had resumed searching after narrowing down possible locations.

Using sonar, K-9 teams, and a seaplane, search crews continued their efforts despite challenging weather. On Saturday, teams located more of the wreckage, crediting the discovery partly to the K-9 dog Ensey, who helped pinpoint the area of interest.

Despite the recovery of debris, the bodies of Dickey and Jahn have not yet been found.
“We will continue to do our best to help return the pilots home for the holidays,” the United Cajun Navy shared.

The multi-agency search included parish officials, New Orleans Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, and numerous volunteers.

The Legacy of Taylor Dickey

Dickey had been a flight instructor at Apollo Flight Training & Aircraft Management since June 2024. Known for her deep Christian faith, she was admired as a mentor to young women entering the aviation field.

She was a founding member and chapter president of the Bayou Beacons Chapter of Women in Aviation International, and she volunteered through programs such as Let’s Fly Now! to inspire young girls to consider aviation careers.

Her father, Randy Dickey, also a pilot, shared a statement through Carastro:
“God is good, even when we have to walk through the valley. Taylor loved flying. She loved seeing God’s beauty in the skies—sunsets, sunrises, and the oceans below.”

The Life and Service of Lt. David Jahn

Jahn, 30, was publicly identified by the Navy with his family’s permission. He served as a civil engineer corps officer with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 in Gulfport.

His awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Achievement Medals, and a National Defense Service Medal. He had been working toward his commercial pilot’s license.

His grieving family released a statement:
“David was a man of God, devoted to his family. His character lives on in his wife and their expected child. He embraced life fully—adventure, travel, and service—always guided by Jesus.”