‘49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster’ to debut at Kentucky Theatre August 6
Lexington, KY – The premiere of “49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster” will take place at the historic Kentucky Theatre in downtown Lexington, August 6 at 7:15 p.m. The public and media are invited to attend.
Tickets for the event are $10 + fees. Tickets can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/Flight5191.
“I’m incredibly honored to premiere the 5191 documentary at The Kentucky Theatre. The theatre has such an incredibly rich history in Lexington, and this story is a Lexington, Kentucky, story. It was the only choice in my mind for the premiere,” said the film’s director, Lanny Brannock. “It’s been such a privilege to be able to tell this story in a documentary format, so that people can see the entire story of the crash through the eyes of the crash victims’ loved ones, the first responders, and the media.”
The film was produced and directed by Lanny Brannock, with cooperation from Lexington’s Gray Media and Scripps Media television stations and the Lexington Herald-Leader. The stations’ news directors served as producers on the film, while several station employees and crash victims’ loved ones played critical roles in helping make the film possible.
News Release: ’49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster’ to premiere at Kentucky Theatre August 6
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feature Documentary “49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster” to Premiere August 6 at The Kentucky Theatre
LEXINGTON, KY — The feature documentary 49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster will premiere Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 7:15 p.m. at The Kentucky Theatre in downtown Lexington. Tickets are $10 at the door and available online now at KentuckyTheatre.org.
There will be a short introduction by the director directly before the screening. He will be available for interviews before the screening, beginning around 6:15 at the theatre.
Directed and produced by former WKYT reporter Lanny Brannock, who covered the crash in2006, 49 Doves tells the story of the August 27, 2006 crash of Comair Flight 5191 at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky. The crash killed 49 of the 50 people on board after it took off from the wrong runway. The film examines the tragedy through the voices of victims’ loved ones, first responders, journalists and others whose lives were forever changed that morning.
The documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at the events surrounding the crash and its aftermath, while focusing on memory, grief, service and the enduring promise that the 49 lives lost will not be forgotten.
“I’m incredibly honored to premiere this documentary at The Kentucky Theatre,” said Brannock. “This story belongs to Lexington and to Kentucky. It has been a privilege to help share it through the eyes of those impacted most by the crash.”
The public and media are invited to attend the premiere.
“The Kentucky Theatre is proud to host the world premiere of Lanny Brannock’s 49 Doves, an important and timely film that sensitively documents one of the most devastating days in Kentucky history,” said Kentucky Theatre Executive Director Hayward Wilkirson.
The film was produced and directed by Brannock with cooperation from Lexington’s Gray Media and Scripps Media television stations and the Lexington Herald-Leader. The project brings together local media, first responders, families and community voices to reflect on one of the most devastating days in Kentucky history.
Premiere Details
- Film: 49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster
- Date: Thursday, August 6, 2026
- Time: 7:15 p.m.
- Location: The Kentucky Theatre, Lexington, Kentucky
- Tickets: $10; available at the box office and for presale at Kentuckytheatre.org and 49Dovesfilm.org
About 49 Doves
49 Doves is a feature documentary about the Comair Flight 5191 disaster and the people whose lives were changed by it. Through intimate interviews and community remembrance, the film explores tragedy, resilience and the legacy of the 49 people who died on August 27, 2006.
Media Contact
Lanny Brannock
Director/Producer, 49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster
Email: Lanny.Brannock@Gmail.com
Phone: 859-492-3952
Website: 49Dovesfilm.org
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WLEX to air ’49 Doves: The Flight 5191 Disaster’ Aug. 30
By: Molly Demrow
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Nearly 20 years after Comair Flight 5191 crashed at Bluegrass Airport, a new documentary is telling the story from perspectives many have never seen.
In August 2006, the flight attempted to take off from the wrong runway at Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky.
“August of 2006, Flight 5191 crashed at Bluegrass Airport,” director and producer Lanny Brannock said.
The plane briefly became airborne before disaster struck.
“Takes off for just a moment, hits a fence and an earthen berm, and crashes in a field right next to it, and killed 49 of the 50 people on board,” Brannock said.
Brannock, a former Lexington reporter, was off duty when the crash happened.
“I was scheduled to work nightside that day. And I finally woke up and I heard my phone and I’ve got, you know, a couple of missed calls from my news director, and I called back in. I’m like, what’s what? What’s going on? And he’s like there’s been a plane crash. We need you to come in,” Brannock said.
The 95-minute documentary includes 24 interviews with survivors’ families, first responders, and journalists who covered the tragedy as it unfolded. It was coverage of the 19th anniversary that inspired Brannock to take on the project.
“I saw the coverage of the 19th year and I was like, it was bigger than that,” Brannock said.
For Brannock, the documentary became a way to preserve stories that deserve to be remembered.
“That’s when I started the movie. It was in the back of my head and I was like, you know what? We can do something,” Brannock said.
The film includes photos, videos, and firsthand accounts from people who were on site, some of which have never been made public.
“There are some photos in there that I don’t think have ever been made public,” Brannock said
Brannock said the documentary offers something a traditional news organization cannot.
“This is a different look at this story, and it’s from different perspectives, and it’s not something that any news organization can really do because you don’t interview your anchors, you know what I’m saying?” Brannock said.
The full documentary screens at the Kentucky Theater in downtown Lexington on Aug. 6. It starts at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $10 on kentuckytheater.org.
You can also watch the full documentary on LEX News Sunday, Aug. 30 at 12:00 p.m.
For more information on the documentary, visit the website 49dovesfilms.org.
Molly Demrow is committed to covering the stories that matter to you. If you have an idea, please reach out to Molly at molly.demrow@wlex.tv
WTVQ interview for 49 Doves
‘49 Doves’ premiere moved to main room at Kentucky Theatre
Due to high ticket demand, the premiere of “49 Doves, The Flight 5191 Disaster” will screen in the main room of the Kentucky Theatre on Thursday, August 6 at 7:15 p.m. The initial screening was scheduled for the smaller state theatre, but was moved in mid-July due to only having a limited number of tickets left several weeks before the screening.
To pre-order tickets (recommended), you can go to https://www.kentuckytheatre.org/.
Tickets are $10 (plus fees).
49 Doves Documentary 