Tennessee Pilot Killed in Lafayette County Arkansas Plane Crash

A single-engine plane crash in a remote wooded area of Lafayette County has claimed the life of the pilot, authorities confirmed today. The victim was identified as 54-year-old Barry Boes of Ooltewah, Tennessee.

Search and Discovery

The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office received the initial report of a possible downed aircraft late Monday night, around 9:30 p.m., near Arkansas Highway 29, just south of Bradley, Arkansas, about 25 miles Southeast of Texarkana. Due to the challenging, remote location, a search was launched, which included an Arkansas State Police (ASP) helicopter.

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The helicopter located the wreckage of the 2021 Lancair Super Barracuda at approximately 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. First responders, including ASP troopers and Lafayette County deputies, were able to reach the crash site just over two hours later, at 5:15 a.m.

Details of the Crash

Authorities confirmed that Boes, the sole person on board, was pronounced dead at the scene. The plane had been traveling from Austin, Texas, to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Investigation Turned Over to FAA

The investigation into the cause of the crash has been handed over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The agencies will lead the effort to determine what caused the aircraft to go down. The body of the deceased has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an official determination of the manner and cause of death.

Arkansas State Police

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