A small plane crashed in the backyard of an Austin residence, killing its pilot, authorities said Wednesday.
Reagan Whitlow, 45, was the single-engine plane's sole occupant. Lonoke County sheriff's office Capt. David Bufford said Whitlow lived in the neighborhood where the crash took place, though it was unclear if he was the plane's owner.
Bufford said authorities began receiving 911 calls about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday about a small plane that had crashed. Upon arriving at the crash site, he could see where the plane had skidded after landing, ending up near the shore of Rick Lake behind the home.
"You could see it hit, boom, and it went probably about 100 feet," Bufford said.
The plane, which he said had apparently caught fire in the crash, had sustained such damage that Bufford was not sure what kind of aircraft it was.
