Latest news with #Cessna180G
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Additional information, witness report released in Trilla plane crash
TRILLA, Ill. (WCIA) — Nearly a month after a plane crash killed four in Trilla, more information on the tragedy has been released, including a witness' report of what happened. The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the fatal April 19 plane crash. At 10:16 a.m. that day, a Cessna 180G, N4679U airplane crashed and killed a private pilot along with three passengers between Coles and Cumberland counties. The plane was operated under the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. PREVIOUSLY: 'All of a sudden I hear this noise,' Single-engine plane carrying 4 people crashes outside of Trilla The following people, all from Menomonie, Wisconsin, died in the accident: 46-year-old Ross Nelson 45-year-old Raimi Rundle 36-year-old Courtney Morrow 48-year-old Michael Morrow According to the flight history data, the plane left its home base in Menomonie on April 16 on a visual flight rules cross-country flight to Muhlenberg County Airport in Greenville, Kentucky. The pilot purchased 42 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel at Muhlenberg before continuing to John C. Tune Airport in Nashville, Tennessee. On April 19, the day of the accident, the pilot flew back to Muhlenberg to get a purse that a passenger left at the airport during the previous visit. The pilot then purchased an additional 12.81 gallons of aviation fuel before heading northbound. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the plane heading toward Mattoon. Additionally, a witness reported that he was on a roof performing repairs when he heard a plane overhead. He described the engine sound as 'unusually low' and similar to that of a 'crop duster.' The engine noise then increased, as if the plane was attempting to climb at the end of a low pass. The witness then heard an explosion and saw a fireball beyond the tree line. He also said that it had recently stopped raining, but that it was 'misting' at the time of the crash. Surveillance video from a location near the accident showed weather conditions that included overcast clouds and light rain. PREVIOUSLY: 'So full of life'; Friend mourns Trilla plane crash victim The plane was located on a county road approximately eight miles south of Coles County Memorial Airport in Mattoon. An examination of the accident site revealed that the plane struck power lines about 35 feet in height before ground impact. The debris path extended approximately 100 feet long a '227-degree magnetic heading' and the wreckage was highly fragmented. All of the major components of the airplane were located within the debris field. 'Flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces through breaks that were consistent with tension overload,' part of the report reads. The engine was found partially buried in a crater about 3 feet deep and was heavily impact damaged. The wreckage was then recovered for further examination. The pilot had a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. However, he did not hold an instrument rating. This allows pilots to fly under Instrument Flight Rules, enabling them to fly in a wider range of weather conditions. Initial review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated approximately 300 hours of total flight experience as of October 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
4 killed in Illinois plane crash, officials confirm
Four people from Wisconsin were killed on Saturday when their private, single-engine plane crashed in a field near an airport in rural Illinois after reportedly striking powerlines, authorities said. The Cessna 180G aircraft crashed about 10:16 a.m. local time Saturday in the unincorporated community of Trilla, Illinois, southeast of Coles County Memorial Airport in nearby Mattoon, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Preliminary information, according to the NTSB, indicates that the plane struck powerlines before crashing. "My whole house shook," Kynnedi Goldstein, who lives near the crash site, told ABC News. Goldstein shared video footage she took in the aftermath of the crash, showing smoke billowing from the wreckage, which was strewn across a field and a two-lane road. All of the plane's occupants were pronounced deceased at the scene, according to the Illinois State Police. All four crash victims were from Menominee, Wisconsin, about 45 miles northwest of Green Bay, according to the State Police. MORE: Small plane crashes in Boca Raton, Florida; all 3 on board killed The names of the victims have not been released. The Coles County Coroner confirmed that two men and two women were killed in the crash. MORE: 3 dead after small plane crashes into Nebraska river The cause of the crash is under investigation by the NTSB, which sent a team to Trilla on Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration, which also sent personnel to the crash scene, is assisting in the investigation, the agency said. The NTSB said the investigation involves three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. As part of the investigation, the NTSB said it will review flight track data, recordings of any air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records and weather reports from around the time of the crash. The agency said it is also reviewing the pilot's license, ratings and flight experience. The NTSB is also conducting a 72-hour background check on the pilot "to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot's ability to safely operate the flight." The agency said it expects to release a probable cause report on the crash in 12 to 24 months. 4 killed in Illinois plane crash, officials confirm originally appeared on
