The former owner of Papa John’s Pizza in Mountain Home was killed in a plane crash Friday evening in northwest Arkansas. According to a Facebook post from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, 43-year-old Lewis Brant Barnes of Tontitown was the lone occupant of a Beech M35 fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft when it crashed off North Smokey Bear Road southeast of Fayetteville.
The sheriff’s office received a report of the plane crash in rural Washington County just before 6. Officials told television station KFSM a nearby property owner called for help after discovering the crash hundreds of yards away. Deputies reportedly arrived on scene a few minutes later and located the crashed plane. County detectives are investigating, and the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified.
Brant Barnes is the son of former Mountain Home Shelter Insurance agent Lewis Barnes and the brother of Gregory Jewelers owner Lori Gregory. The Mountain Home stores is one of nearly 10 Papa John’s Pizza he has co-owned throughout Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Mississippi. In 2018, he was featured in television advertisements as part of the chain’s national campaign to introduce a diverse group of individuals with different positions in the company around the world.
Brant Barnes was also a Shelter Insurance agent in Fayetteville. He, along with his father Lewis and Mountain Home Shelter Insurance agent Scott Tabor, provided 600 pizzas to front-line workers and those in need in Mountain Home during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. After Shelter Insurance decided to give agents $1,000 for their local communities, the elder Barnes and Tabor donated their funds to the Salvation Army in Mountain Home to feed those in need.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene by the Fayetteville and Round Mountain fire departments, Central EMS and the Washington County Coroner’s Office.
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Emergency crews responded to a deadly plane crash in rural Fayetteville Friday evening.
According to officials with the Fayetteville Fire Department, crews were called to an area in the rural east side of town for an "aircraft emergency" on January 6. Officials say a property owner called for help just before 6 p.m. after discovering the crash hundreds of yards from their home.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO), Fayetteville Fire Department, Round Mountain Fire Department, Washington County Urban Search & Rescue and Central EMS all responded to the scene.
Round Mountain Fire Chief Shane Wood told 5NEWS there was one person on board the plane at the time of the crash.
According to the WCSO, 43-year-old Lewis Brant Barnes of Tontitown, the pilot of the plane, was killed in the crash.
Washington County Detectives are investigating the crash and the FAA has been notified.
Wood believes the plane took off earlier from Drake Field went to Stuttgart Municipal Airport and was headed back to Drake Field when it crashed in a wooded area southeast of Drake Field.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office says there is a chemical hazard at the crash site due to fuel leaks.
Officials say the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) is coming from Chicago and Little Rock to investigate the crash.
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board
Investigator In Charge (IIC): Folkerts, Michael
Additional Participating Entity:
Bill Adrich; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Little Rock, Arkansas
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Baxter Flying Inc
Location: Hector, Arkansas
Accident Number: CEN14LA030
Date and Time: October 14, 2013, 17:00 Local
Registration: N5605V
Aircraft: Piper PA 32R-300
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 2 Minor, 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during climbout, he noticed that the engine was vibrating. After leveling off the airplane, the vibration worsened, and the engine subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a road, and the airplane impacted a fence post.
Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was fractured through the No. 8 cheek position between the Nos. 5 and 6 pistons. Fatigue cracking emanated from the connecting rod journal where the No. 5 connecting rod mates. The No. 6 piston cooling nozzle was not found in its position, and its pieces were found in the bottom of the sump; the pieces were more intact than would be expected if they had been ground between the crankshaft and connecting rod for an appreciable amount of time. Also, there was no evidence of a gouge or other mechanical damage on the No. 5 connecting rod journal. Based on this evidence, it is unlikely that the fatigue cracking was initiated by the No. 6 cooling nozzle being lodged against the crankshaft after falling out of position.
About 18 months before the accident, the engine was repaired and overhauled due to a propeller strike. Further, about 4 months before the accident, maintenance personnel performed a top overhaul of the engine, and, about 1 month before the accident, maintenance personnel replaced the No. 2 cylinder. The timing of the failure suggests that an imbalance could have been introduced to the engine during one or both of the maintenance procedures, which could have resulted in the initiation of the fatigue cracking and the subsequent falling out of the No. 6 cooling nozzle; however, the exact cause of the crankshaft fatigue cracking could not be determined.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
An engine failure due to crankshaft fatigue cracking for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Findings
Aircraft Recip engine power section - Failure
Aircraft Recip engine power section - Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Aircraft Recip engine power section - Incorrect service/maintenance
Factual Information
History of Flight
Enroute-cruise Loss of engine power (total) (Defining event)
Landing Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On October 14, 2013, about 1700 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N5605V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hector, Arkansas. The two pilots received minor injuries and the two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Baxter Flying Incorporated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Fayetteville Executive Airport (FYV), Fayetteville, Arkansas about 1615 and was destined for Tunica Municipal Airport (UTA), Tunica, Mississippi.
According to the pilot, the engine was vibrating during the initial climb. After leveling the airplane at 9,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the vibration worsened and the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a rural road, during which the right wing contacted a fence post.
The airplane was recovered to the facilities of Dawson Aircraft, Inc., near Clinton, Arkansas. The engine was subsequently removed and shipped to Mena Aircraft Engine, near Mena, Arkansas, for examination. During engine teardown, the crankshaft was observed to be fractured through the #8 cheek position, between the #5 and #6 pistons. The fatigue cracking emanated from the connecting rod journal, where the #5 connecting rod mates.
The #5 cylinder skirt was damaged, which prevented removal of the cylinder from the crank case. The #6 cylinder skirt was damaged, which made it difficult to remove from the crank case. The #3 piston had multiple abrasions on the piston skirt. The #1, #2, #4 pistons were removed without difficulty and had no anomalies. Several of the cam shaft tappet bodies (mushroom shaped) were fractured. Ferrous shavings were present in the oil sump and oil filter and the oil suction screen was completely blocked with metal shavings.
The #6 piston cooling nozzle was not in position and the cooling nozzle pieces were found in the bottom of the sump. These pieces of the cooling nozzle were relatively intact. The #2 and the #4 cooling nozzles were measured below their specified torques. #1 and #3 cooling nozzles were torqued correctly. Torque for the #5 cooling nozzle was not measured, since the #5 piston could not be removed from the crank case.
The crankshaft, attached counterweight, connecting rod journal bearing, and #6 piston oil cooling nozzle pieces were shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board materials laboratory for examination. The crankshaft's fracture surface was observed to have repeated crack arrest marks consistent with fatigue cracking.
No gouges or wear were observed at the fatigue cracking initiation area and no evidence of thermal distress was visible on the #5 connecting rod journal. No evidence of a gouge or other mechanical damage from a wedged piece of metal wearing against the crankshaft was observed on the #5 connecting rod journal.
The #5 connecting rod bearing had a 'M03' code stamped on the sides that indicated it mated with a ground or reworked crankshaft connecting rod journal. The measured dimensions of the mating #5 connecting rod journal met the requirements for the diameter expected following rework.
On April 20, 2012, the engine was repaired and overhauled following a propeller strike. After magnetic particle inspection of steel parts, replacement of several components and a test run, the engine was returned to service with the original crankshaft. On June 22, 2013, a top overhaul was performed, based on owner comments of a rough running engine that was using oil. On September 18, 2013, the #2 cylinder was honed and a new piston was installed, after a compression check revealed zero compression and a broken #2 piston ring.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private Age: 34
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: July 10, 2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: June 14, 2012
Flight Time: (Estimated) 610 hours (Total, all aircraft), 198 hours (Total, this make and model), 610 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 42 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private Age: 67
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: August 19, 2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 3784 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1424 hours (Total, this make and model), 3784 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N5605V
Model/Series: PA 32R-300
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1977
Amateur Built:
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 32R-7780346
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: April 24, 2013 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6948 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-540 K1G5D
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 300 Horsepower
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KRUE,404 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 14 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 16:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 204°
Lowest Cloud Condition: 11000 ft AGL
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 11000 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 14°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Fayetteville, AR (KFYV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Tunica, MS (KUTA)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 16:15 Local
Type of Airspace: Class E
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor, 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 35.463054,-92.979164 (est)