Local businessman Johnny Morgan dies in plane crash in Washington County, Arkansas

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Washington County, Ark:  Johnny Morgan of Oxford, owner of Morgan White Insurance and prominent Mississippi business man died in a plane crash in Arkansas this afternoon. According to FAA and KNWA Fox 24 a plane that took off from Oxford University Airport crashed in Washington County, near Fayettville.  The pilot of the Oxford plane lost radio contact just after 12:34 p.m after calling and reporting saying he heard a puttering sound.

Emergency Management searched the remote site plane with Blackhawk helicopters that were on a training exercise at the time. It took several hours to locate the plane crash site.

The plane was a  Beachcraft King 90 from Mississippi. Online flight aware indicates the plane that matched that description left Oxford University Airport at 11;27 a.m. this morning heading to Fayetteville, Arkansas.

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Rescue teams this afternoon were able to locate the plane and found the pilot of the plane did not survive. He was the only person on the plane.

Governor Tate Reeves tweeted tonight “Johnny Morgan was perhaps the most fiercely loyal person I ever met. “If he was with you….. He was WITH you!” He loved Ole Miss, MS politics, – and life! Elee and I are devastated!”

This is a developing story, and we will continue to update.