A 48-year-old father and his 22-year-old son died after their small aircraft apparently encountered a developing storm while returning home from a St. Louis Cardinals game, according to investigators, who said the plane seemed to make a sudden turn before descending in a spiral into a rural tree line in Illinois.
The pilot and his son departed late Thursday from St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto and were traveling toward Siloam Springs Municipal Airport in Arkansas when the aircraft went down near Waterloo, Illinois, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The Monroe County Coroner’s Office confirmed to KSDK that the victims were Jimmy Don Lewis and Brayden Ty Lewis.
Jimmy Don Lewis and Brayden Ty Lewis, shown in the foreground while flying in an aircraft. (Facebook/kelsey.lewis.927)
Authorities said the father and son had attended a Cardinals game earlier that evening before setting out for home in what investigators believe was a privately owned Beechcraft Baron 55.
“Investigators believe the aircraft departed into an area of developing severe weather,” authorities 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.”
Jimmy Don Lewis and Brayden Ty Lewis pictured together. (Facebook/jill.lewis.311)
Emergency personnel were called at about 2:34 a.m. Friday following reports of a possible plane crash south of Waterloo. Low cloud cover, rain and limited visibility complicated the search for several hours, prompting a large coordinated response involving multiple agencies and specialized drone units from Illinois and the St. Louis area.
An ARCH Air Medical helicopter eventually located the wreckage at about 7:40 a.m. in a tree line near the Columbia Quarry after investigators narrowed the search area.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims’ family and loved ones,” authorities said after confirming both occupants of the aircraft had died in the crash. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with them during this incredibly difficult time.”
Kelsey Lewis told the Daily Mail that her father and brother earned their pilots’ licenses together, saying the pair “did everything together.” She also described her father as an experienced flyer.
“My dad, when it came to flying, he was very, very, cautious of everything,” Kelsey told the outlet. “Very cautious.”
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department worked with Waterloo Fire Department, Maeystown Fire Department and the Monroe County Coroner’s Office during the investigation. The FAA and NTSB subsequently took over the investigation to determine the official cause of the crash. (Facebook/Monroe County Sheriff’s Department)
She said an apparent glitch in the aircraft’s weather-tracking system that caused the readings to be about 30 minutes off could have led to the crash.
Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration later assumed responsibility for the crash scene, while the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
Officials emphasized that the findings released so far are preliminary and that the federal investigation remains ongoing.
