James Beyer, 51, of Maple Park, has been identified as the pilot killed in a tragic small plane crash on Saturday afternoon near Hinckley Airfield. The accident also resulted in injuries to a 3-year-old child, related to Beyer, who was onboard the aircraft.
The crash occurred around 2:33 p.m. in a rural farm field just west of Hinckley Airfield, located at 12747 US-30, as confirmed by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find Beyer deceased. The child, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, was transported to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital and later transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago for further care.
The aircraft involved in the crash was a 1946 Aeronca 7AC, a single-engine light plane. It came down in a field just steps from the Hinckley runway, raising questions about whether the plane was attempting to take off or land when the accident occurred.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the incident. The aircraft remained at the scene through Saturday evening as federal investigators examined the site.
James Beyer was a well-known figure in the local aviation community, and news of his death has deeply saddened friends, family, and fellow pilots. The child’s survival has been described as a “miracle” under the circumstances.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the NTSB, with no further details released at this time.
