The Chicago Tribune reports that two people were killed in a fatal airplane accident yesterday at about 6:30 in the evening. The crash occurred in south central Wisconsin about 15 miles from Baraboo. The plane had taken off from an airport in Lake in the Hills, Illinois.
The intended destination of the plane has not yet been released. The airplane, a Cessna 150, was flying under visual flight rules and therefore was not in radio contact with any airports at the time of the crash. Visual flight rules require that the pilot take responsibility to see and avoid any other aircraft and are not assigned a specific altitude or route by air traffic control. This type of flying is only allowed in certain types of airspace and when meteorological conditions allow for high visibility.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the area in which the plane crashed is heavily wooded. The crash site was not located until almost 11:00 pm last night. Local news reports indicate that the two individuals that who were killed in the crash were the only two aboard the plane during the flight.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to be on the scene today to begin investigating the cause of the crash. As we have discussed previously in this space flights other than scheduled commercial passenger flights are referred to as general aviation. While this includes single engine planes like the Cessna that was involved in this tragic crash, it can also include corporate jets, chartered flights, and even traffic and weather helicopters.
Source: Chicago Tribune “2 people dead in southcentral Wis plane crash” March 21, 2011
