HINCKLEY, Ill. (WLS) — A man has been identified following his fatality and an injury sustained by a toddler related to him in a small plane crash just beyond the west suburbs, according to officials.
The incident occurred around 2:33 p.m. on Saturday in a farm field located just west of Hinckley Airfield, 12747 US-30, in Hinckley, Illinois, as reported by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The sheriff stated on Sunday that the small plane’s pilot, 51-year-old James Beyer from Maple Park, was killed in the crash and was declared dead at the scene.
A 3-year-old passenger, whose is related to the deceased pilot, had non-life threatening injuries from the plane crash, fire officials said. The child was taken to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb and then Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
The plane that crashed was a single-engine 1946 Aeronca 7 AC, the sheriff said.
The plane remained in the field Saturday evening right next to the Hinckley airport as FAA investigators processed the scene.
It’s not yet clear how the crash happened, and it’s not known if the plane was trying to land or if it had just taken off, with how close the airport is.
The NTSB is now investigating the crash.
No further information was immediately available.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
