3 die when small plane crashes in La.

(CNN) - Aviation officials were trying to determine Saturday why a small plane crashed in dense woods in southeastern Louisiana, killing two adults and a teenager, a spokesman for the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Chief Criminal Deputy Jason Ard said the trio, apparently parents and their son, had been identified, but the names weren't being released because there were more relatives to notify. They were the only three people aboard.

The Cessna aircraft, which took off from Slidell, Louisiana, crashed just before midnight (1 a.m. ET Saturday) near Albany, less than 40 miles to the west. The plane was headed for Marksville, northwest of Baton Rouge.

A resident in the Albany area phoned the sheriff's office shortly before midnight to report hearing a crash, and that was followed by other calls, Ard said.
Controllers at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport told deputies that they were communicating with the pilot before losing contact. It was difficult to reach the crash site because of the woods, Ard said.