Photo credit: www.cbsnews.com
On Saturday morning, a tragic incident in central Illinois resulted in the deaths of four individuals when a small aircraft collided with power lines and subsequently crashed.
The incident took place at approximately 10:15 a.m. local time on County Line Road near Trilla, located about three miles south of Mattoon in Coles County, roughly 200 miles south of Chicago, as reported by the Illinois State Police and the Coles County Sheriff’s Office.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that the aircraft involved was a Cessna 180 single-engine plane, which struck power lines before going down in a nearby field. The Coles County Coroner indicated that all four occupants—two men and two women—sustained fatal injuries in the crash. The identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed as officials work on notifying their families.
Following the incident, debris from the aircraft was found scattered on County Line Road, prompting the Coles County Sheriff’s Office to close the road at least until Sunday while investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NTSB are underway.
Kynnedi Goldstein, a local resident, described her experience of witnessing the aftermath of the crash. “I was sitting in my room, and I was getting ready to turn a show on, and all of a sudden I hear this noise. It’s like the whole ‘boom,’ and then our power went out for a second, and then our generator kicked on. I looked outside and saw a huge plume of smoke,” she recounted in an interview.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed his condolences in a social media post, stating that his administration is closely monitoring the situation and sending thoughts to those affected by the tragedy. He also thanked the first responders for their rapid response.
The FAA and NTSB are now tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. An NTSB investigator is anticipated to arrive at the scene on Sunday to analyze the wreckage and gather evidence. Following this initial investigation, the plane will be transported to a secure location for more thorough examination.
The NTSB has indicated that a preliminary report on the crash investigation is expected to be released within the next 30 days.
This story is still developing, and updates will be provided as new information emerges.
Source
www.cbsnews.com