What type of plane crashed in Central Illinois? 4 killed in aviation hazard

A small private plane crashed in a rural community in Central Illinois, killing all four aboard. The unfortunate incident occurred on Saturday, April 19, 2025, a little after 10:00 am local time.

Citing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), USA Today reported that a Cessna 180 crashed in a field near the County Line Road in Trilla, a small unincorporated community in Coles County. The site was located just southeast of Coles County Memorial Airport in Mattoon.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told ABC News that the single-engine aircraft struck power lines before going down. However, the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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News of the Illinois crash came just hours after another Cessna 180 crashed into a river in Nebraska

According to the Illinois State Police, the Coles County Coroner identified the two men and two women killed in the crash. The victims were Ross Nelson, 46; Raimi Rundle, 45; Courtney Morrow, 36; and Michael Morrow, 48. They all hailed from Menomonie, Wisconsin, and authorities pronounced them dead at the scene.

Citing a news release by the police, USA Today reported that the plane remained on the roadway until Sunday evening, about 5:00 p.m. local time.

In an X post, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker shared an update on the crash, urging people to follow the "guidance of officials." Calling it "terrible," he wrote:

"My administration is monitoring the situation as we keep those impacted by the plane crash in our thoughts today."

He continued to thank the first responders.

Kynnedi Goldstein, who lived near the crash site, told CBS News Chicago that she heard the crash, stating:

"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'."

Goldstein explained that immediately after she heard the noise, their power went out. After their generator "kicked on," she looked out of her sunroom and saw "a huge pile of smoke." She later shared a video of the aftermath of the crash with ABC News, showing the smoke coming from the wreckage that extended from the road to the field.

News of the tragedy in Illinois came just a day after another Cessna 180 crashed into a river in Nebraska, killing all three aboard. On April 12, six people died when a small aircraft crashed in upstate New York. Just three days before that, another small plane crashed into a busy street in Boca Raton, Florida, killing three.

According to a report on aviation accidents by Clifford Law Office, citing the NTSB database, Cessna, a general aviation aircraft brand owned by Textron Aviation, made up the most crashes between 1982 and 2018.

The NTSB would conduct an investigation into Saturday's crash in Illinois, with the FAA providing assistance. Per ABC News, investigating teams from both organizations arrived on the scene to document the site and examine the plane. The aircraft would be taken to a secure facility for an in-depth examination.

NTSB told the outlet that it would look into "the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment" as part of its investigation. This included reviewing communications with the flight, the weather at the time of the crash, and even the pilot's license and rating.

No further updates have been observed.