4 men die in small plane crash in southern Illinois

CARLINVILLE, Ill. – Four men died when a small plane crashed into a southern Illinois farm field, authorities said Monday.

The single-engine Piper PA28 crashed about 3:45 p.m. Sunday under unknown circumstances, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The plane was destroyed upon impact.

The crash occurred about 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) south of Carlinville, or about 45 miles (72 kilometres) north of St. Louis, Missouri, Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl said.

Killed were the pilot, Joshua Daniel Sweers, 35, of Grand Blanc, Michigan, and three passengers: Daniel A. Shedd, 37, of St. Charles, Missouri; Daniel Schlosser, 39, of Mount Morris, Michigan; and John S. Camilleri, 39, of Buffalo, New York, Macoupin County Coroner Brad Targhetta said.

The plane went down near a farmhouse, but no one on the ground was hurt, Kahl said.

The FAA said it had no information about the flight’s departure point, but Targhetta told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that it had left Creve Coeur Airport outside St, Louis and was headed to Michigan.

The National Transportation Safety Board also is investigating, the FAA said.