Former Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon piloted plane that crash landed in Fayetteville

Bill Simon, former CEO of Walmart U.S., piloting a small single engine plane carrying Cliff Slincard of HogEye Inc., and Maurice Willis made an emergency landing on MLK Boulevard in Fayetteville this morning (Nov 3) just a few minutes after they took off from the Bentonville Municipal Airport around 9:35 a.m.

The plane struck a pickup truck as it made its parachute landing on the busy roadway near Fayetteville High School. Fayetteville police said Simon and his passengers along with driver of the truck were taken to a local hospital with only minor injuries. No cause was immediately available as to why the plane malfunctioned.

Flight Aware notes on its website that the plane was headed to Waco, Texas. The plane is owned by WG Aviation LLC in Rogers.

Simon stepped down as Walmart U.S. CEO in July 2014 with a retirement package worth roughly $9 million in compensation and stock awards, including a $4.5 million payment to be paid in installments through July 2016. Wal-Mart has a strict noncompete agreement that should keep Simon from seeking work with a competitor until after July 2016.

Simon told the media several times during his work at Wal-Mart that he was proud of his military service as a pilot in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves for 25 years.