Crystal Lake Police Report on Airplane

A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department:

Plane Crash – Crystal Lake

On May 3rd, 2012 at 3:15 pm, the Lake in the Hills Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a passerby indicating that there had been a plane crash.

The area of the crash was determined to be due east of the Lake in the Hills Airport, just southwest of the intersection of James R. Rakow Road and Virginia Road, in Crystal Lake.

Police and Fire/Rescue personnel from Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills immediately responded to the scene.

Upon arriving at the scene police and fire/rescue personnel had to respond on foot several hundred yards to access the downed aircraft.

The location where the aircraft went down is free of trees and man-made structures however with its marsh-like and mud conditions it prohibited access by normal police or fire/rescue equipment.

Specialized equipment and personnel responded to the scene to facilitate the investigation and recovery operations.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the aircraft, a single engine private plane, was airborne in the area immediately east of the Lake in the Hills airport where it had landed earlier in the day.

For reasons unknown at this time, witness statements indicate the plane may have been attempting to return to the airport when it began to decelerate just prior to impact.

First responders discovered two occupants of the aircraft were dead at the scene.

The FAA and the NTSB are conducting the crash investigation with the support of the Crystal Lake Police and Fire Rescue Departments, as well as the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.

The scene will be secured until the investigation and recovery operations are completed.

At present there is no press conference scheduled however we expect this information to be updated as it becomes available.

Information regarding the identification of those who died as a result of the plane crash will be withheld pending notification of next of kin.


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