The father-son plane crash near Waterloo, Illinois, killed two people after their Beechcraft Baron 55 was lost from radar during the early-morning hours, officials said. The wreckage was located several hours after the initial alert as searchers worked in low clouds and rain.
What happened in the father-son plane crash
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, emergency crews were dispatched after reports of a possible aircraft crash south of Waterloo at about 2:34 a.m. Local officials said the aircraft had departed St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto and was en route to Siloam Springs Municipal Airport in Arkansas when radar contact was lost.
Federal investigators described the timeline as preliminary but said flight-tracking data indicate the airplane began a turn before entering what appeared to be a descending spiral and disappearing from radar. Authorities emphasized those observations are early and subject to confirmation by the ongoing federal investigation.
Victims and family
The Monroe County Coroner’s Office confirmed the victims as 48-year-old Jimmy Don Lewis and his 22-year-old son, Brayden Ty Lewis. Officials said both died at the scene.
Family members remembered the pair as close and passionate about flying. Kelsey Lewis told reporters the two had earned their pilot certificates together and that flying was a regular family activity. “My dad, when it came to flying, he was very, very, cautious of everything,” she said. She and other relatives asked for privacy as they mourned.
Flight data and weather
Investigators from federal agencies said their findings so far are preliminary. In a joint preliminary statement, federal investigators with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board said, “Flight data indicates the aircraft appeared to begin a turn, possibly in an attempt to avoid the inclement weather, before entering what appeared to be a descending spiral. Radar contact was subsequently lost.”
Officials have pointed to developing severe weather in the region during the time of the flight. Searchers and responders reported low clouds, rain and limited visibility in the predawn hours, conditions that hampered early efforts to locate the airplane. The family’s comments about possible instrumentation issues have been described to reporters as personal observations and remain unconfirmed by investigators; officials said any such claims will be examined as part of the federal inquiry.
Search and rescue
Multiple agencies mounted the search after the initial alert, working through poor conditions. Local law enforcement coordinated with regional aviation responders and volunteer search teams. Specialized drones and ground crews were deployed to canvass the area where radar last tracked the plane.
An ARCH Air Medical helicopter helped narrow the search area and crews located wreckage at about 7:40 a.m. near a tree line by Columbia Quarry, officials said. Responders secured the site and federal investigators arrived to take custody of the wreckage and begin an on-site examination.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department offered condolences to the family and said local first responders would continue to assist federal investigators as needed. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims’ family and loved ones,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
What comes next
The FAA and the NTSB are conducting a formal, coordinated investigation. Federal officials said the NTSB will lead the technical review to determine probable cause, while the FAA will participate in regulatory and operational aspects of the probe. Investigators plan to collect and document wreckage, review available radar and flight-tracking data, examine maintenance and pilot records, and interview witnesses and first responders.
Officials cautioned the public and the media against drawing conclusions from early reports. “All findings to date are preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues,” investigators said in initial statements. The agencies reiterated that establishing a probable cause can take weeks or months as evidence is analyzed.
Authorities asked anyone with information, photos, or video from the area around the time of the crash to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators said such material can be valuable to reconstructing the flight path and timeline leading up to the accident.
Reporting on the incident is based on statements from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and preliminary information from federal authorities. The investigation remains ongoing and preliminary; the FAA and the NTSB are the lead federal agencies handling the technical and regulatory aspects of the probe.
Source attribution: Monroe County Sheriff’s Department; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Original reporting: Fox News.
