Second Pilot Able To Land Safely

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 06.18.06 2020 EDT: The pilot lost in Sunday morning's accident near Illinois Valley Regional Airport has been identified as 55-year-old Christopher Good from Wisconsin.

Peoria's WHOI-19 reports Good's plane was one of four heading to an air show at the field when his aircraft apparently contacted another plane while on approach to land. The stricken airplane fell into a nearby field.

"We're part of a closed community of aviators, and when we lose any pilot, it is a real tragedy to all of us,” said J. Michael Maloney, president of American Air Shows.

According to the Illinois Valley Air Show website, Good was part of the RV "Blackhawk" Squadron flying to the show to display their aircraft. A British ex-pat, Good moved to Wisconsin in 1994 and became a US citizen. He later spent three years building an RV-6A (file photo of type, below) -- presumably, the accident aircraft -- with its first flight in June 2000, just over six years ago.

After learning to fly in England -- but then giving it up for 15 years -- Good restarted his flying career in 1996, eventually earning an instrument-rating and building 1500 total hours of flight time, 1100 of which in his plane.

Good became an EAA Technical Counselor in 2004.

ORIGINAL REPORT

Two experimental aircraft collided while on approach to land at Illinois Valley Regional Airport early Sunday, causing one of the planes to crash. Authorities said the pilot of the accident aircraft was killed.

Officials with the FAA and area police told the Associated Press they believed the planes had been practicing for the Illinois Valley Air Show, scheduled for later in the day at the Peru, IL airport.

That information was disputed, however, by American Air Shows president J. Michael Maloney, who said the pilots were flying to the show to display their planes, and weren't part of the scheduled entertainment.

The pilot of the second aircraft involved in the midair collision was able to land his plane, and declined medical treatment, said Jamie Bradish with the Peru Police Department.

Information on the names of the pilots and the type(s) of aircraft involved were not immediately available. The planes were part of a group flying to the show from nearby Poplar Grove, said Maloney.

This is the second year the Illinois Valley Air Show has been held in Peru, a Chicago suburb about 90 miles southwest of the city. The show went on as planned, although it got underway about two hours late.

FMI: www.illinoisvalleyairshow.com