Four Killed in Plane Crash in Rural Illinois, Authorities Confirm

TRILLA, IL (AP) — A tragic plane crash in rural Illinois claimed the lives of four people on Saturday morning. The victims, all from Menominee, Wisconsin, were aboard a private, single-engine Cessna 180G when it crashed into a field near the Coles County Memorial Airport in Mattoon, Illinois. Authorities confirmed the crash occurred around 10:16 a.m. local time after the plane reportedly struck powerlines.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), preliminary findings suggest the plane collided with powerlines before plummeting to the ground.

“I felt my whole house shake,” said Kynnedi Goldstein, a local resident who lives near the crash site. She shared video footage showing thick smoke rising from the wreckage, which was scattered across a field and a nearby two-lane road.

Illinois State Police confirmed that all four people aboard the plane were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified as two men and two women, all hailing from Menominee, located about 45 miles northwest of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the NTSB, which dispatched a team to Trilla on Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also assisting with the inquiry. The investigation is focusing on three main areas: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment.

As part of the probe, the NTSB will review flight data, air traffic control communications, the aircraft’s maintenance records, and weather conditions at the time of the crash. The agency is also examining the pilot’s credentials, including license, ratings, and flight experience, and conducting a 72-hour background check to identify any factors that might have affected the pilot’s ability to operate the flight safely.

The NTSB has stated that it will likely release a probable cause report within the next 12 to 24 months.

As the investigation continues, the community of Trilla remains shaken by the devastating loss.