Two members of the OU community died in a plane crash in Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Barrett Ellis, an attorney for the OU Foundation, and his wife Megan Ellis, executive director of The Sooner Nation Collective, died in the crash at 43 years old. Barrett was reportedly flying the plane.
KFOR reported that upon arriving at the crash site, Scott Douglas, a captain of the Oklahoma City Fire Department, saw Barrett attempting to rescue his wife from the plane, though it was already engulfed in flames. Barrett was later taken to a hospital in critical condition where he eventually died.
The Oklahoman reported the aircraft as a 1968 Beechcraft Musketeer. Aircraft flight tracking data showed the aircraft took off at Wiley Post Airport, but immediately turned back to land at 10:18 a.m. before the Oklahoma City Fire Department arrived on the scene, according to The Oklahoman.
The plane's tail number matched photos of Barrett on a Facebook post where he revealed his pilot's license in October. The aircraft belonging to Barrett was the only one of its description that took off from the airport Sunday, according to Federal Aviation Administration data.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating what caused the plane to crash.
Barrett graduated from OU with a bachelor’s in arts before attending Harvard Law School. Barrett worked as an attorney for McAfee & Taft before taking a position at the OU Foundation in 2020.
Megan worked in youth programs and education. She was the Oklahoma Alliance executive director for the Boys & Girls Clubs before becoming the director of communications at the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
The Oklahoma Public School Resource Center made a statement on Facebook sending its condolences to the family of Megan.
“We were heartbroken to learn that Megan passed away last night in a plane crash with her husband. Our hearts are with her daughter and others who loved her and are grieving her today,” the center wrote.
Guy Patton, president of the OU Foundation, wrote in a statement that members of the OU Foundation were deeply saddened by the passing of the Ellises.
“The news of their passing has left all of us who had the privilege of knowing Barrett and Megan devastated,” Patton wrote. “They brought not only intelligence and expertise but also kindness and humor to their work on behalf of OU. They were cherished members of the broader OU community, and we will carry the weight of their absence for a long time to come.”
Patton wrote that in the wake of the Ellises' deaths, the OU Foundation will continue to ensure it achieves its goals while respecting the privacy of the families involved. According to Patton, details regarding the memorials and remembrances will be communicated in time.
This article was edited by Alexia Aston, Taylor Jones and Peggy Dodd. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
