Crash victim’s family files suit

The family of a Jeanerette man who died when an airplane crashed into his home last summer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the plane’s owner and pilot.

Kevin Broussard and Shelia Legnon, the children of Lucien Broussard, are seeking monetary damages against LCS Corrections Services and the estate of pilot Farrell Skelton, who also died in the crash.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in 16th Judicial District Court.

Lucien Broussard, 73, died when the Beech BE58P airplane crashed into his mobile home on Bert Street July 18 following an aborted landing at LeMaire Memorial Airport.

The lawsuit states Broussard suffered third-degree burns to his head, face, back and upper extremities in the resulting fire. He survived long enough to dial 911, but “died in excruciating and unimaginable pain,” the lawsuit states.

The mobile home and its contents, valued at $16,000, and a Jeep, valued at $2,900, were destroyed in the fire.

Lucien Broussard had donated the mobile home to his children less than a year before the crash, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses Skelton and LCS Corrections Services of various acts of negligence, including attempting to land the airplane without knowledge of its position relative to the runway, failing to maintain sufficient air speed and failing to use ordinary care in the operation of an airplane.

The lawsuit states Kevin Broussard and Shelia Legnon are entitled to survival damages for the wrongful death of their father.

It states Shelia Legnon, who lived a short distance from her father, is also entitled to special damages because she witnessed the fire.

Patrick LeBlanc, president of LCS Corrections Services, said he had not yet been served with the lawsuit but was not surprised by its filing. He declined to comment further.

“In issues of litigation, we’re always cautioned by our legal counsel not to say anything ... and I think I’ll adhere to that,” he said.

The attorney for the Broussard family, John Blackwell of New Iberia, did not return calls seeking comment.

The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to complete its investigation of the crash, said air safety investigator Bill Gamble.

A preliminary report said the crash occurred during stormy conditions and an aborted landing.