An Oklahoma father and son, Jimmy Don Lewis, 48, and his son, Brayden Ty Lewis, 22, died when their Beechcraft Baron 55 crashed near Waterloo, Illinois, on Thursday evening. Rescue crews located the wreckage Friday morning after a search hampered by inclement weather.
Authorities were alerted to a possible crash around 2:30 p.m. Friday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Department. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local law enforcement worked to determine a search area based on the plane's last known location. Aerial search efforts were initially unsuccessful due to weather conditions, including cloud cover that prevented the use of thermal imaging technology.
A drone search initiated by the Waterloo Fire Command around 6 a.m. Friday eventually located the aircraft in a tree line near a rural field, confirming the deaths of the two occupants.
Investigators believe the Lewis family encountered severe weather while en route to their home in West Siloam Springs, near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border, following the Cardinals game. Flight data indicated the pilots may have attempted to maneuver the aircraft to avoid the storm, but it entered a descending spiral before radar contact was lost.
The crash is currently under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Family members paid tribute to Jimmy and Brayden. Brayden's girlfriend, Payton, posted a message on Instagram expressing her love, and his sister, Kelsey, shared her grief on Facebook. Kelsey recalled a moment from a previous trip where their father insisted on taking a group photo, noting her father's dislike for being photographed and Brayden's playful reaction.
The Lewis family was described as one that enjoyed traveling. Photos posted by Jimmy's wife, Jill, documented family trips, including a European tour in May 2024 and ski excursions to Winter Park, Colorado. Brayden had also recently traveled to Europe and Mexico.
Brayden's social media indicated interests in football, bull riding, motorcycle riding, and working out. Jimmy and Jill Lewis had recently welcomed a new grandchild.