Experimental Aircraft Down in Remote Area

A pilot died Monday when his aircraft went down in a remote field in Madison County, IL.

FAA preliminary reports identify the aircraft as a Quickie Q2 (file photo of type, right) that "crashed after reporting a rough running engine."

The accident occurred around 2:30 pm in a muddy, remote area between Edwardsville and Hamel.

Police from Bethalto contacted the tower at St. Louis Regional Airport and reported a possible plane down. Emergency personnel were directed to the crash site with the assistance of another pilot, who performed aerial circles aver the area marking the site.

The plane was located upside down and on fire, according to Edwardsville Fire Chief Brian Wilson.

"Obviously, this is a tragedy, but this pilot should be commended for his actions," Madison County Sheriff's Captain John Lakin said, referring to the pilot apparently guiding the aircraft away from residences and the heavily traveled Route 57 near the site of impact.

The pilot's identification has not yet been released pending notification of family, according to the Belleville News Democrat. An autopsy has been ordered.

The Quickie Q2 is an experimental, two-place homebuilt light aircraft with a 64-horsepower engine. It was adapted from Burt Rutan's original Quickie design by Tom Jewett and Gene Sheehan. It was produced in kit form, and marketed by the Quickie Aircraft Corp., founded by Jewett and Sheehan.

More than 2,000 kits were reportedly sold before production ended.

FMI: www.faa.gov, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quickie_Aircraft