Family dog also survives plane crash

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WISH) - A family dog survived a deadly plane crash that killed a Fort Wayne doctor and his wife. Friends of their son, 16-year-old Austin Hatch, who also survived the crash, say he is tough enough to survive his injuries. He will survive a deadly crash for a second time.

Austin Hatch was just 8 years old when his father piloted a plane from Michigan to Indiana. It clipped a power pole and went down in 2003. Austin and his dad survived. His mother, 11-year-old sister Lindsay and 5-year-old brother Ian died. Austin held a flashlight that night as his dad tried to land. His dad actually threw him from the burning plane to save his life. The flames were too hot to save the others.

Eight years later Dr. Stephen Hatch was piloting again. This time with his only son Austin, a star basketball player in Fort Wayne who had just a week earlier as a junior committed to play for the University of Michigan. At that time Austin said, "I'd like to thank God for everything and blessing me with the ability to play basketball. Not everyone is as fortunate as I am." Both parents went to Michigan. He wanted to be a doctor like his dad.

The second crash Friday killed his father and step mother. A picture taken after Austin's basketball championship game calls them "Proud mom and dad."

Two family dogs were also on the plane. One died, but a male labradoodle named Brady survived. That dog, the only other survivor, belongs to Austin. Brady was found within a mile of the crash site in Charlevoix, Mich. on a neighbor’s porch. Animal control officials say he was "extremely scared, pretty shaken up more than a full day after the crash." An imbedded microchip identified the dog. A family friend picked up Brady and took him to see Austin in the hospital. Doctors placed Austin in a coma to alleviate brain swelling and to assess his injuries.

An update on Austin’s medical blog on Monday states, "Austin is still in ICU. His condition remains critical but stable. A recent CT Scan shows no worsening in his condition. The major objective is to minimize stimulation to allow him to heal."

With Brady nearby, doctors were expected to slowly bring Austin out of the coma sometime Monday.

Dr. Stephen Hatch was an experienced pilot who owned Smith Field in Fort Wayne and was instrumental in keeping it open. In a terrible twist, the family was returning from their summer home when they crashed in 2003 — the same place they were flying to when they crashed Friday.

You can follow Austin's progress through Caring Bridge .