A 48-year-old pilot and his 22-year-old son were killed in a small aircraft accident whilst returning home from a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. The pair departed from St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto on Thursday evening, bound for Siloam Springs Municipal Airport in Arkansas.

Investigators believe the aircraft encountered a developing storm during flight, which likely contributed to the tragedy. The plane executed a sudden manoeuvre before descending rapidly and crashing into woodland in rural Illinois, according to preliminary findings from the investigation.