Plane crash narrowly misses Illinois church, no deaths reported
A small plane crashed near a central Illinois church filled with worshippers, injuring two men who were aboard the aircraft, authorities said.
The single-engine Piper Cherokee Six crashed Wednesday night in the parking lot of Open Arms Christian Fellowship in Lincoln, coming to rest nose-down in a landscaped area with its left wing sheared off and other damage.
Two men who were the only people aboard the plane were taken to a Springfield hospital for treatment for injuries not considered life-threatening, The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reported.
STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING LANDING AT TIME OF DEADLY FLORIDA PLANE COLLISION, REPORT SAYS
Clyde Zellers, principal avionics inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration in Springfield, said the plane came down about a quarter-mile from the Logan County Airport while trying to approach. He said the crash remained under investigation.
The plane crashed about 7:30 p.m. CDT as about 100 to 150 people were inside the Open Arms Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational Christian church, attending regular Wednesday evening services for its children’s ministry and some adult ministries, the church’s co-lead pastor, the Rev. Larry Crawford, said.
SMALL PLANE CRASH ON LONG ISLAND LEAVES 1 DEAD, 2 CRITICAL: OFFICIALS
No one inside the church was injured and church property suffered minimal property damage, he said.
“Honestly, it’s a miracle of God,” Crawford said.
Lincoln is located in Logan County about 34 miles northeast of Springfield.
