A small aircraft carrying a father and his 22‑year‑old son went down in a wooded part of rural Illinois on the evening of July 10, 2026, after a weekend trip that began with a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.
The flight and its final moments
The Beechcraft Baron 55 had taken off from St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto, Illinois, and was bound for Siloam Springs Municipal Airport in Arkansas when the crew encountered sudden, severe weather.
According to investigators, the pilots attempted to turn the aircraft away from the worsening conditions, but the plane entered a steep spiral and descended into a tree line near Waterloo.
Search and recovery efforts
A multi‑agency response involving the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, local fire units and specialized drone teams located the wreckage after a thorough ground search.
Official inquiries
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have opened a formal investigation to determine why the aircraft’s weather‑tracking system appeared to malfunction.
The victims, identified as Jimmy Don Lewis and his son Brayden Ty Lewis, were described by friends and family as experienced pilots who had earned their licenses together and shared a love of aviation and baseball.
Remembering the victims
Tributes have highlighted the close bond between the father and son, their professionalism in the cockpit, and the impact of their loss on family, friends and the broader aviation community.