Two individuals died when a twin-engine Piper PA-30 small plane crashed shortly after takeoff at DuPage Airport in West Chicago on Wednesday afternoon. The crash occurred around 1:50 p.m., with officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DuPage County confirming the incident.
The plane, owned by the International Flying Club, sustained severe front-end damage, with its tail and one wing nearly detached, and the cockpit exposed. Photos and aerial footage showed the aircraft skidding or impacting nose-first onto the snow-covered grass adjacent to the runway, leaving a skid mark in the snow.
The two occupants on board were pronounced dead at the scene. The International Flying Club, based at DuPage Airport, has four aircraft available for rent.
As a result of the crash, the airport has been temporarily closed. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are actively investigating the cause of the accident, with an NTSB investigator expected on-site by Thursday morning.
A local resident expressed sorrow that the crash happened so close to Christmas.