The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department has just released the following statement about a small aircraft accident overnight outside Oxford:

On March 30, a single engine private plane crashed in Lafayette County resulting in one fatality and one injury. At 9:36 p.m., the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office received a notification from the Union County Sheriff’s Office that a small private plane had not returned to the airport it took off from in Union County. 

The Union County Sheriff’s Office provided a possible location off of County Road 249 where a phone belonging to one of the plane’s occupants was pinging. Lafayette County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived in the area at 9:42 p.m. and, with the assistance of the Lafayette County Fire Department, Lafayette County Emergency Management, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and Union County Emergency Management, began a search for the missing plane.

The wreckage of the plane was located, and unfortunately, one of the occupants was found deceased. The second occupant was initially missing, but at 12:19 a.m., was located with injuries and transported to a hospital.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, and the identities of the occupants of the plane have not yet been released pending notification of their families.

The NTSB and FAA are en-route to the crash site and will be leading the investigation.

The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend their condolences to the family and friends of the deceased occupant, and their thoughts and prayers are with the injured occupant for a speedy recovery.