Delta employee dies in Ala. plane crash

A Fayette County woman who worked for Delta Air Lines was killed in a plane crash in Jacksonville, Ala., on Saturday.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash that killed passenger Stefanie Smith Fasselin, 27, of Peachtree City, according to a tweet from the organization.

Fasselin, the strategic communications manager for Worldport, handled communications for Delta’s airport customer service department at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Delta sent a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

“The Delta family is heartbroken to hear of the passing of one of its own. Stefanie was a rising star and an integral part of our team at the Atlanta airport, managing communications and employee engagement. She will be missed by all that knew her. Our deepest condolences are with her father and husband, who are also members of the Delta family, as well as all of her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Her father, who was piloting the plane, also was injured, according to the Jacksonville Fire Department. He was flown to Huntsville Hospital for treatment.

Witnesses said the plane caught fire mid-air before crashing in Calhoun County, Ala., Channel 2 reported.

The plane was a single-engine Beech BE-35, according to authorities. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate and the NTSB will determine the probable cause of the crash, authorities said.