A tragic single-engine plane crash took the life of a pilot in a remote area of Arkansas. The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office received a report about a possible downed aircraft late one evening. According to authorities, the crash occurred about two miles south of Bradley, near Arkansas Highway 29.
Officials received the alert late at night. However, the wreckage remained undiscovered until early the next morning. Then, an Arkansas State Police helicopter spotted the wreckage deep in a wooded, hard-to-reach location just before dawn.
Soon after, law enforcement and first responders arrived at the scene nearly two hours later. Upon arrival, they confirmed that the pilot, the sole occupant, had died. They identified the pilot as Barry Boes, 54, from Ooltewah, Tennessee.
The aircraft involved in the single-engine plane crash was a 2021 Lancair Super Barracuda. It departed from Austin, Texas, and headed toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, before crashing. Authorities will conduct further examinations to determine the cause of the crash and the manner of death. The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory will analyze Boes’ remains as part of this investigation.
Federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, now lead the crash investigation. These organizations will analyze the evidence carefully to uncover what caused the accident.
Besides flying, Boes played a significant role in the racing community. He served as the CEO of Accio Data, a Texas-based software company. Moreover, he was an accomplished Trans Am racing driver. Earlier this year, Boes won the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Western Championship race at Sonoma Raceway in California.
Andy Lally, president of the Trans Am racing series, expressed his admiration for Boes. He described him as a dedicated competitor with intense drive and strong sportsmanship. Lally added that Boes constantly pushed himself to improve both on and off the track. “We will remember and miss his winning desire,” Lally said.
Ultimately, this single-engine plane crash shocked both the aviation and racing communities. Investigators continue gathering information to provide answers about what caused this fatal accident.
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