All Twelve Skydivers Were Able To Exit The Aircraft And Land Safely

The pilot of a plane carrying a dozen skydivers was fatally injured Saturday morning when the aircraft went down in a residential neighborhood in Taylorville, IL. All 12 of the skydivers were able to get out of the plane before it went down, and landed safely.

The Beech 18 (similar aircraft pictured in file photo) was carrying the group as part of an event sponsored by the Mid-America Sport Parachute Club. The pilot, identified as Brandon Sparrow of Augusta, IL, apparently managed to steer the stricken airplane away from any houses. It went down in the back yard of a private residence, tearing a 20-30 foot hole in the back yard of Jerry Dobyns, according to a report in the Springfield, IL, State Journal-Register.

Dobyns said he was watching television in his bedroom when he heard the sound of the impact, which reportedly could be heard all over town. He said it caused windows to shatter and knocked several pictures off the walls of his house.

Taylorville Mayor Greg Brotherton said at the scene that the plane went down in an area not quite 75 feet wide.

Witness James Welge Jr. told the paper that he heard the engines "rev up" and then go silent. He said the plane glided by, and then impacted the ground a few seconds later.

The NTSB will issue a preliminary report on the accident within ten working days.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov