After their single-engine plane crashed only a mile from their intended destination, a young family of four is being mourned by their town in North Carolina.
The incident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The plane had taken off from Merritt Island, Florida, and was headed to the Raleigh Executive Jetport in Sanford, according to Aviation Accident Investigator Ryan Enders.
“It’s a tragedy, by all means,” Enders said. “It’s a devastating blow to everybody in the community. We’re going to figure out what happened.”
The pilot reported communication difficulties, as well as problems with the aircraft’s engine and navigation systems, to the fixed-base operator at the airport prior to the disaster.The wreckage will be taken to a facility in Tennessee for additional examination in order to aid with the inquiry.
The NTSB added that it will analyse the pilot’s flight history and look into the conditions and activities that took place in the 72 hours before the flight as part of its routine process.
Grace Christian Sanford, the Buchanan children’s school, honoured the family on social media. Members of the school community expressed their grief over the Buchanans’ passing and shared their own recollections of them after the announcement.
“Loved this family so much. So blessed for the daily hugs from sweet Aubrey, and the honor to teach Walker. The community will be a little dimmer now without their light. Praying for all of our families, friends, and the community who feel this indescribable loss tonight,” Kirstin Schwader wrote.
“What a privilege it was to teach sweet Walker and know this wonderful family. I am praying for their family and friends. This is heartbreaking,” added Tammy H. Strickland.
“I was blessed to teach both Aubrey and Walker in Kindergarten. My heart is broken over this tragic loss. Praying for everyone who is hurting,” commented Maci Bullard.
In Sanford, the family owned Buchanan Farms, where they frequently hosted community gatherings and operated a local produce stand. Abraham Garcia, a long-time worker, claimed that the accident happened while they were heading home from a beach vacation.
“He helped me all the time,” Garcia continued, referring to Travis Buchanan, his former employer. They spent eight years working together.
On the Fourth of July, the farm’s most recent Facebook post wished its fans a “Happy and Safe 4th of July.”
Andrea Adame of Los Charros Mexican Restaurant described her heartbreak upon hearing the news. “When I heard yesterday about this accident, it broke me,” she admitted. “I’m a mother, and I cried because I really think they were important in this community. They were trying to provide a healthy and safe environment for the family.”
The Buchanans were well known for their farm in Lee County and for organizing gatherings that brought the local community together. “That was truly their goal, just to have a place to have the community come together, and you could see that at the events, at the sessions,” shared Nickie Runyan of Nickie Runyan Photography.
Friends and family said the family is now focused on grieving and figuring out how to move on, even though they had been organising another charity event for the next weekend.
Michael Yarborough, owner of Yarborough’s Ice Cream and Grill, recalled sourcing strawberries for his shop from Buchanan Farms and noted Travis’s integrity and character. “That was the main reason I would always go there,” he said, “because I was always greeted kindly.”
Days before, a twin-engine plane crashed into the Ohio woods minutes after takeoff, causing yet another terrible plane disaster.
A jet crashed in Trumbull County’s forests on Sunday, June 29, 2025, shortly after taking off from Vienna, Ohio’s Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. No one survived.All six victims have now been recognised by authorities and made public.
Two other crew members also died: co-pilot Timothy Blake, 55, and pilot Joseph Maxin, 63. 1.2 miles northwest of the airport, the Cessna 441 crashed close to King Graves and Henn Hyde roads in Howland Township.
The jet took off at 6:53 a.m. and crashed less than seven minutes later, according to airport officials. About a minute later, it crashed after making a left turn. The Mahoning Valley community is grieving the loss of its cherished residents in the wake of the collision.
The Wellers have a long history in the region. At the time of his death, James Jr. was president and CEO of Liberty Steel Industries, a well-known business that his father had founded in 1965.
“It’s a real tragedy, they’ve been great neighbors to us and great additions to the community.”
After the collision, Sharon Speedway also released a statement. In a Facebook post, they noted the Wellers’ numerous achievements and connections to the track while expressing their profound regret at the awful death.
“Jim won 36 times in the Big-Block Modified division at Sharon Speedway and was a 2-time track champion. His late father Jim Weller, Sr. co-owned Sharon Speedway from 2002-2024,” read the post, adding a call for prayers for the family.
At Youngstown Flight School, pilot Joseph Maxin served as a main flight teacher. In addition, he was a former assistant prosecutor in Mahoning County and the director of compliance for the Western Reserve Port Authority.
Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro remembered Maxin’s lengthy and fruitful career in a statement following his passing. He spent decades working in the criminal and civil divisions of the prosecutor’s office after initially joining in 1990.
Lynn characterised Joseph as “not only a skilled attorney, but also a beloved friend and colleague, known for his kindness, good nature and one-of-a-kind humorous personality.”
The official media relations account of the National Transportation Safety Board declared on X that an inquiry regarding the crash has begun.
Jimmy Weller III, a former NASCAR stock racer, and Ronnie Weller, the mother of Jimmy and John Weller, were among the people that survived the Wellers.
