HINCKLEY, Ill. (WBBM Newsradio) — A 51-year-old pilot was killed and a 3-year-old child injured Saturday when a small plane crashed into a farm field near the Hinckley airfield in DeKalb County.
According to the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, the single-engine 1946 Aeronca 7AC aircraft went down just west of the airport around midday. Both occupants were from Maple Park, Illinois.
The pilot, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The child was initially taken to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital and later transferred to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, where officials say the child is in stable condition.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash. No further details have been released.
Hinckley is located approximately 50 miles west of Chicago.
