Pilot found dead after crashing plane near Illinois-Indiana border

A pilot was found dead Sunday morning after crashing a plane in west central Indiana near downstate Danville, Illinois.

On Saturday night, the Vermillion County Sheriff’s Officer notified the Warren County Sheriff’s Office in Indiana that a plane may have crashed near West Lebanon, according to Indiana State Police.

State troopers, deputies, fire crews and volunteers then searched the area for roughly six hours, state police said. The search was ultimately suspended until 8 a.m. Sunday due to the rugged terrain of trees, ravines and fences.

After resuming the search, a state police helicopter located the downed plane about 10:15 a.m. Sunday near County Road 575 south and State Road 263, which is in the area of West Lebanon. A search and rescue team then found the pilot dead after being guided to the scene of the crash by the helicopter, state police said. The pilot was the only person in the plane.