Plane crash along I-88 near Maple Park leaves pilot with minor injuries

A plane crash on Interstate 88 delayed traffic and sent one person to the hospital Monday afternoon.

The experimental aircraft crash-landed in the median, striking a pickup truck along the way, authorities said.

The 1982 Knight-Wilcox Varieze, a fixed-wing, single-engine two-seater, had taken off from Waukegan National Airport heading to Aurora. It began reporting engine trouble shortly after takeoff, according to a news release from the Illinois State Police.

At 4:01 p.m. the pilot of the plane attempted an emergency landing on the median on I-88 near the border between DeKalb and Kane counties. On the way down, it clipped a GMC Canyon, according to the news release.

The pilot suffered injuries that were not life threatening, according to the news release, and was taken by Kaneville Fire Department to a local hospital. The driver of the truck was not injured and the truck received minor damage.

Authorities on-site were unsure of what caused the plane to crash near mile marker No. 102. Police did not identify the pilot, but online records indicate that the aircraft is owned by Joseph Dougherty of Wheaton.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified, according to the news release. The crash is still under investigation and westbound lanes were closed during the investigation as traffic moved along the shoulder.