2 Killed as Beechcraft Baron Goes Down Near Waterloo, Ill., in Storm

Two people were killed late Thursday when a Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron, registration N202DK, crashed in a rural area near Waterloo, Ill. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the accident, which occurred at approximately 10:48 p.m. CDT on July 9. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed on impact.

According to NTSB data and local law enforcement, the aircraft departed St. Louis Regional Airport (ALN) in Alton, Ill., with an intended destination of Smith Field Airport (SLG) in Siloam Springs, Ark. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Family members monitoring the aircraft via a flight-tracking application alerted authorities after the plane stopped transmitting position data. The area was experiencing a significant storm at the time, with heavy rain, lightning, strong winds and low visibility reported.

Search and rescue personnel, including the Monroe County Sheriff's Department and Illinois State Police, located the wreckage the morning of July 10, using thermal imaging despite weather conditions that initially hampered aerial search efforts. ADS-B data indicates the Baron climbed to 5,600 feet mean sea level before ground speed decayed to approximately 22 knots shortly ahead of a final descent. Local media have reported the occupants were a father and son, though official identifications have not been released. The NTSB has opened a docket to determine the probable cause of the accident.