HINCKLEY, ILLINOIS — A fatal small plane crash at Hinckley Airfield on Saturday claimed the life of a 51-year-old pilot and injured a 3-year-old child, authorities confirmed.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies—including the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, Hinckley Police Department, and three local fire departments—were dispatched to the crash site around 12747 US-30 in Hinckley.
Crash Involved 1946 Aeronca Plane
According to police, the downed aircraft was identified as a 1946 Aeronca 7 AC, a single-engine light plane that was carrying two occupants from Maple Park: the pilot and a toddler passenger.
Pilot Pronounced Dead at Scene
Authorities reported that the 51-year-old pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the pilot has not been released pending family notification.
Child Transferred to Chicago Hospital
The 3-year-old child, who was also on board, was first transported to Northwestern Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb before being transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago for further treatment. The child was reported to be in stable condition as of Sunday evening.
Agencies Respond and Investigation Ongoing
Responding agencies included:
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DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office
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Hinckley Police Department
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Hinckley Fire Department
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Waterman Fire Department
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Big Rock Fire Department
Officials have not provided additional details about the cause of the crash or flight conditions at the time. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) typically investigate incidents of this nature, but no federal updates have been released yet.
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