Pilot Dies in Small Plane Crash Near Deerfield Homes

A pilot died when a small single-engine plane crashed near a row of townhomes in unincorporated Deerfield, Illinois, late Wednesday night, authorities said, with no injuries reported among residents on the ground.

The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. in the 800 block of Swallow Street, in the Park West condominium neighborhood southwest of the Deerfield Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue intersection. The aircraft, described by witnesses as a two-seater, struck the roof of one townhome and damaged two gas meters before coming to rest behind the homes, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. The pilot, who was the sole occupant and has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials noted that the crash caused a small gas leak, which Nicor Gas crews quickly brought under control.

Emergency responders from the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District arrived shortly after reports of a downed aircraft. They found the plane in a backyard area, with no fire or smoke initially visible. Structural damage to the affected townhome was limited, and no residents required evacuation, Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli...