A potential glitch in a private plane's weather tracking system may have led to a fatal crash that killed experienced pilot Jimmy Don Lewis, 48, and his son Brayden Ty Lewis, 22, according to Kelsey Lewis, the victims' sister.
The father and son were on their way home from a St. Louis Cardinals game when their Beechcraft Baron 55 aircraft encountered severe weather near Waterloo, Illinois. Kelsey Lewis told the Daily Mail that the plane's weather tracking software was reportedly 30 minutes delayed, leading her father and brother to believe they could safely navigate through a gap in the storm.
"The software was 30 minutes off when they flew on Friday night, erroneously leading them to believe they would 'hit the gap' between the storm and be able to fly safely home," Lewis stated.
Flight tracking data indicates the plane lost contact around 10:48 p.m. Police believe the aircraft attempted to turn away from the storm but entered a "descending spiral."
The aircraft was in the air for only 22 minutes before it went down. The family had flown to Illinois so Kelsey and her fiancé could pick up a new car, while Jimmy and Brayden opted to stay for the baseball game. Kelsey and her fiancé drove back to Oklahoma, but her father and brother chose to fly.
Kelsey described a premonition before their departure, stating she felt unusually compelled to hug her father and brother goodbye and gave her father a final admonition to "please be careful."
After the plane failed to arrive at its expected landing time around midnight in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Kelsey, her mother Jill, and Brayden's girlfriend Payton began contacting authorities. Their search led them to contact law enforcement agencies in Illinois, who eventually informed them of the discovery of a plane and two deceased bodies at 7:51 a.m. on Friday.
Kelsey emphasized her father's cautious nature when it came to flying, stating he was "very, very cautious of everything." Both Jimmy and Brayden held pilot's licenses and frequently traveled by plane. She recalled family trips for dinner and events.
The family is planning to establish a Lewis Memorial Sports Scholarship at Kansas High School, where Brayden was the quarterback on the football team. The scholarship will be awarded to a student on the football team who demonstrates kindness and hard work.