One person was killed and another injured in a single-engine plane crash northeast of Centralia early Saturday afternoon.
The Centralia Police Department was notified by a resident of a home in the 1500 block of Woods Lane at 12:43 pm that a small aircraft had crashed into their swimming pool behind the home.
Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon said initial responders determined the craft, a 1948 Beechcraft A35, was occupied by the pilot, who was suffering from substantial injuries, and one adult female passenger, apparently deceased.
It was apparent that the passenger, identified as 56-year-old Cheryl Monceret LaGreca of Lacon Illinois, was killed immediately upon impact.
The pilot, identified as 66-year-old Glenn Rossi, also from the Peoria area, was airlifted from an open space at a nearby home to a regional hospital for treatment.
Centralia Fire Protection District Chief Ross Boshera said district firemen had to extricate Rossi from the plane. Lifestar EMS and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department also assisted at the scene.
Cannon says the initial conversation between first responders and the pilot indicates the aircraft lost power for an as-yet-unknown reason and began losing altitude. Neighborhood witnesses confirmed the aircraft going down without engine power. Cannon says it is presumed that Rossi used what little control remained in order to hit the pool, to soften the impact of the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified and continues to investigate the crash and the circumstances contributing to the incident. At this point, it is unclear whether the aircraft had just left the Centralia Municipal Airport or was attempting to land there.
Cannon extends condolences to the families of those involved, and appreciation to the Centralia Fire District, Lifestar EMS, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the FAA for their assistance.
