A prominent farming family from Lee County, North Carolina, lost their lives on Monday afternoon, July 7, 2025, when their small plane crashed in a field while returning from a beach trip to Florida.
Travis Buchanan, 35, Candace Buchanan, 35, and their two children, 10-year-old Aubrey and 9-year-old Walker, all died in the accident near Sanford, North Carolina.
Around 2 p.m. Monday, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to reports of a downed aircraft in the area of Lower Moncure Road, about 40 miles southwest of Raleigh. The Cirrus SR22 single-engine plane was located in a secluded field. Three family members died at the scene, and the fourth was transported to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to Federal Aviation Administration records, Travis Buchanan owned the plane, which was kept at Raleigh Executive Jetport just a few miles north of where the crash occurred. Flight tracking site FlightAware reported the aircraft left Merritt Island, Florida, at around 11 a.m. Monday and was last tracked near Sanford at approximately 1:30 p.m. The journey was expected to last about two and a half hours.
The Buchanan family owned Buchanan Farms in Sanford—a well-loved local business known for its strawberry fields and fresh produce. Abraham Garcia, who worked for Travis Buchanan for over eight years, described his boss as someone who “was always there for me.” Garcia told reporters the family was on their way back from a beach vacation when the tragedy happened.
Travis and Candace were childhood sweethearts who attended the same schools from kindergarten through high school in Broadway. Together for 16 years, the couple grew their farm from a single greenhouse into an operation spanning roughly 1,000 acres with several facilities. Their property at 2508 Broadway Road in Sanford included tobacco fields and a busy produce stand that was a centerpiece in the community.
Since its founding about five years ago, Buchanan Farms has become an integral part of the local agricultural community. The business grew from tobacco to strawberries and other crops, with Travis commenting in a 2021 interview that “farming has always been my passion, and our farm keeps growing each year.”
Aubrey and Walker both attended Grace Christian School in Sanford, with Aubrey preparing for fifth grade and Walker starting fourth grade. The school shared condolences on Facebook, writing, “It is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of one of our Crusader Families.” The statement also noted that grief support services would be available for students and staff.
The Cirrus SR22 plane comes equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), a unique safety feature that allows the entire aircraft to descend safely in emergencies. Since its introduction, the system has been deployed 126 times, resulting in successful outcomes in 107 cases and saving 220 lives. The SR22 has consistently been the best-selling general aviation plane since 2003, with more than 8,000 delivered worldwide.
The remote location of the crash made it difficult for emergency crews to access the site. Sky 5’s aerial footage taken around 2:30 p.m. showed the wreckage totally demolished. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have begun investigating the cause of the accident.
The specific model involved in the crash was a Cirrus SR22T, which is the turbocharged version. These aircraft have a 315-horsepower engine and can seat either four or five people, depending on the setup. Constructed from composite materials, the SR22T is equipped with advanced avionics and numerous safety systems.
The loss of the Buchanan family left neighbors and customers of Buchanan Farms stunned and grieving. The farm’s Facebook page, which has over 5,600 followers, featured regular updates on seasonal produce and farm happenings. The family was admired for their dedication to protecting farmland amidst the area’s increasing residential growth.
