What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 3, 2020 at approximately 0846 local time, an aircraft accident occurred in logan county, IL, near Lincoln Illinois. The aircraft, N157SF, a Cessna 172S, crashed under unknown circumstances. The aircraft crashed near the median on the southbound lanes of I-55. All three people on board suffered fatal injuries. At the time of the accident N157SF was operating from the central Illinois regional airport at bloomington-normal (kbmi) airport for the purpose of eagle spotting/counting. A post-crash fire consumed most of the aircraft, however a positive identification of the aircraft was made from the discovery of the aircraft?s data plate. Positive identification of the human occupants was made from autopsy by the logan county coroner.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 3, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 0846 LOCAL TIME, AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN LOGAN COUNTY, IL, NEAR LINCOLN ILLINOIS. THE AIRCRAFT, N157SF, A CESSNA 172S, CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED NEAR THE MEDIAN ON THE SOUTHBOUND LANES OF I-55. ALL THREE PEOPLE ON BOARD SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT N157SF WAS OPERATING FROM THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL AIRPORT AT BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL (KBMI) AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF EAGLE SPOTTING/COUNTING. A POST-CRASH FIRE CONSUMED MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT, HOWEVER A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS MADE FROM THE DISCOVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT?S DATA PLATE. POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF THE HUMAN OCCUPANTS WAS MADE FROM AUTOPSY BY THE LOGAN COUNTY CORONER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.