A routine flight in Benton County ended tragically on Monday evening as a single-engine aircraft crashed, claiming the life of at least one individual. As reported by FOX59, the Benton County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the fatality after public safety officials responded to the scene southwest of Oxford, a town near Lafayette.
The Sheriff's Department received calls about a potential crash shortly before 6:45 p.m. Monday, as indicated in a statement obtained by WISH-TV. Federal officials, including representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), were quickly called to assist and to soon begin an investigation into the incident. The authorities have advised to completely avoid the area surrounding County Road 200 East, between County Road 700 South and County Road 800 South.
The Benton County Coroner’s Office is taking charge of the death investigation following the accident. An area of farmland became the final resting point of the aircraft, with the impact site located a mere 2 miles southwest of Oxford’s city limits, a town of approximately 1,100 residents.
In a Facebook post further detailing the incident, the Benton County Sheriff's Department urged the public to steer clear of County Road 200 East between the two aforementioned south county roads. "Benton County Public Safety Units are working a plane crash southwest of Oxford. County road 200 E between 700 and 800 S is closed. Avoid the area," Sheriff Cox stated, as reported by WTHR.
