ILLINOIS — A pilot was killed Wednesday night when a small plane crashed behind a row of townhomes in unincorporated Deerfield, authorities said.
Deputies with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 9:45 p.m. to the 800 block of Swallow Street after receiving reports of a downed aircraft. First responders from the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District arrived and found a single-engine plane that had crashed behind several homes.
Authorities said the pilot, who was the only person on board, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said the aircraft struck the roof area of one of the townhomes and hit two gas meters, causing a small gas leak. The leak was later brought under control, and officials with Nicor Gas responded to the scene.
No injuries were reported among people on the ground, and officials said the pilot appeared to avoid causing major structural damage to the homes.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft was a Cessna T210 that had taken off from Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, and was headed to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are assisting in the investigation as authorities work to determine the cause of the crash.
