Professional pilot Taylor Dickey, 30, made a big impact before her life ended Monday, when the Cessna Skyhawk she was aboard plunged into Lake Pontchartrain.

She had worked since June 2024 as a contract flight instructor with Apollo Flight Training and Aircraft Management, based at Million Air terminal at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.

Dickey and her young student, who has not been officially identified, flew out of Gulfport at 5:43 p.m. Monday, according to FlightAware Aviation Co.

The Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, where they were headed, lost track of the Cessna about 4 miles north of the airport.

A search for the plane was suspended Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear whether Dickey or the student was piloting the plane because they trade seats during training flights

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