A Mississippi doctor confirmed death after a plane crash in Arkansas

Federal authorities are investigating a plane crash in Arkansas that killed a Mississippi doctor.

The fatal crash occurred around 2:27 p.m. Tuesday in Clinton, Arkansas. The pilot of the private Beech 58 Baron was identified as 68-year-old Robert Phillip Mathis of Corinth.

Mathis initially departed northern Mississippi at 7:14 a.m. and landed in Fayetteville around 9 a.m. It then departed the city of Arkansas at 1:56 p.m. and crashed just over 30 minutes later due to a “trim problem.” After the accident, a small fire broke out, but it did not spread.

According to authorities, dispatchers in Van Buren County, where the crash occurred, were notified by the Federal Aviation Administration of a plane with engine failure around 2 p.m

NTSB is investigating the October 29 crash of a Beech 58 Baron aircraft near Clinton, Arkansas.

— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) October 30, 2024

Rescue workers, a private plane and two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters flew over the accident area and found the destroyed plane in what was described as a “debris field.” It took over four hours for a rescue team on the ground to reach the crash site.

Mathis was previously a surgeon at Magnolia Health Center in Corinth. His aircraft was registered to Mathis Timber LLC. He was alone on the fatal flight.

Last year, Mississippi business owner and former lawmaker Johnny Morgan died in a plane crash in Arkansas.

The Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and Arkansas State Police will handle the investigation into Tuesday's crash.