James Beyer Obituary, Death;- A man has been identified following his death in a small plane crash, which also resulted in injuries to a toddler related to him, according to officials.
The incident occurred at approximately 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. The pilot of the aircraft, 51-year-old James Beyer from Maple Park, was killed in the incident and was declared dead at the scene, the sheriff stated on Sunday.
A 3-year-old passenger, who is related to the deceased pilot, sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash, according to fire officials. The child was transported to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb and subsequently to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
The aircraft involved in the crash was a single-engine 1946 Aeronca 7 AC, as noted by the sheriff. The plane remained in the field on Saturday evening adjacent to the Hinckley airport while FAA investigators examined the site.
It remains unclear how the crash occurred, and it is unknown whether the plane was attempting to land or had just taken off, given the proximity to the airport. The NTSB is currently conducting an investigation into the crash.
