ISTANBUL

A small single-engine aircraft crashed in a field near Trilla, Illinois in the US on Saturday morning, killing all four people on board, according to local and federal authorities.

The Cessna C180G went down shortly after 10.00 am (1500GMT), about a dozen miles southwest of Coles County Memorial Airport in Mattoon, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading the investigation, said preliminary evidence suggests the plane struck power lines before impact.

Coles County Coroner Ed Schniers said the victims included two men and two women, but their identities are being withheld pending notification of family members.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker acknowledged the incident in a post on X, calling it "terrible news out of Coles County."

"My administration is monitoring the situation as we keep those impacted by the plane crash in our thoughts today," he added.

The Illinois State Police described the incident as a "fatal aircraft investigation" and said debris was found scattered across a nearby roadway, which remained closed for several hours.

The crash comes amid a troubling series of fatal small plane accidents across the US. In the past week alone, nine people have died in three separate crashes in Nebraska, New York, and now Illinois.

The FAA and NTSB will continue their joint investigation to determine the cause of Saturday’s crash.