Witness describes plane crash that killed Batesville couple traveling from Florida to Arkansas
LEE COUNTY, Ark. – The cause of a deadly plane crash Sunday night in east Arkansas is still a mystery amid an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Authorities said the crash happened in a field around 12 miles southeast of Marianna city limits. The landowner of the crash site said when he first saw the aftermath there was no fire but the impact looked steep.
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Arkansas State Police said the victims, 72-year-old Joseph Bryant and 73-year-old Sharon Bryant, were the only occupants of the Piper PA46-500TP single-engine private plane.
ASP officials stated that around 8 p.m. Sunday night, some of the family members of the victims called the West Helena Police Department concerned after they had not heard from their loved ones. Around 9 p.m., authorities said someone living nearby called the Lee County Sheriff’s Office reporting what they thought was a crash.
Around 9:30 p.m., first responders located the crash and found Joseph and Sharon Bryant dead inside. They were traveling from Florida to Batesville, Arkansas when they crashed in a remote area near the Mississippi River.
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Few people live near where it happened, but one stated he heard something that could have been the impact.
“I heard noises last night. Not sure what it was,” Cody Pruett said. “Sounded like some dynamite or something blowing up a long ways off.”
The NTSB stated a preliminary accident report on the crash could be published as soon as Tuesday.
“Hate it for them. Maybe they will get some kind of resolution on what happened,” Pruett said.
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In a Monday release, Arkansas State University said the couple were alumni and longtime supporters of the university and its football program, adding that they were residents of Batesville.
“Steve and Sharon Bryant meant so much to so many people at our university, within our football family and beyond,” A-State head football coach Butch Jones said in the release. “The positive influence they had on not only our football organization, but on their communities and those around them is immeasurable. We’re beyond thankful that they will always be part of our Red Wolves family, and we extend our thoughts and prayers to their family and friends.”
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