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Victims identified in Hanna City plane crash

A police car's lights, which are on. The text "WCBU Police and Fire" are laid on top of that photo.
WCBU

The pilot and passenger who died in a plane crash near Hanna Cityover the weekend have been identified.

According to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, 75-year-old James W. Evanson and Lisa K. Evanson, 67, both of Santa Fe, N.M., were in the plane that crashed into a building north of Farmington Road.

The coroner’s autopsy found that both suffered blunt force trauma injuries in the crash and died at the scene.

According to a press release, James Evanson was an experienced pilot, serving two terms as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

The results of a toxicology report on Evanson are pending. The cause of the crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). An initial FAA report suggested engine problems were responsible for the crash.

Collin Schopp is a reporter at WCBU. He joined the station in 2022.