Four Killed in DeKalb Small Plane Crash Intended to Attend Family Member's Graduation

Sign up for the Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch newsletter!

---

The four people who died when their small plane crashed into Interstate 285 in DeKalb County on Friday were heading to a family member’s college graduation ceremony.

According to WSB-TV, Greg Byrd, his sons Phillip and Christopher, and Christopher’s fiance Jackie Kulzer were heading to Oxford, MS, to celebrate youngest son Robert’s graduation from Ole Miss. Kulzer was planning to marry Christopher in October following six years together.

Family friends told WSB-TV that Greg Byrd was a veteran of law enforcement and lived his life to the fullest. They also added that Byrd took flying very seriously, and had been on the phone with the plane’s mechanic the day before the crash.

NTSB investigator Eric Alleyne said during a Friday press conference that the wreckage of the aircraft was being collected and transported to Griffin for further examination. Alleyne said he planned to have the remains of the aircraft re-assembled in two weeks, but a full report on the accident could take anywhere from six months to one year.

Alleyne told reporters that he had a “laundry list” of factors, such as maintenance records and the pilot’s flight experience, that he typically looks for when investigating a plane crash. However, he added that he won’t have any specific theories to focus his investigation on until he gets the plane re-assembled in Griffin.