Small Plane Crashes Near Festus, At Least One Killed

FESTUS, MO — Officials say at least one person was killed when a small plane crashed near Festus early Friday morning. The Post-Dispatch reports the pilot reported electrical issues sometime around midnight. It took first responders several hours to locate the crash in a marsh near Festus Memorial Airport, about 45 minutes south of St. Louis.

The Cessna C150 left New York sometime Thursday evening with two people on board, according to KMOV. Boats have been called in as part of the search and rescue effort. The television station reports two are dead, but Patch is yet unable to confirm the second fatality.

The pilot's name has not been released, but authorities say he is a local man. He had reportedly called his fiancee to ask her to stand on the runway with a flashlight.

The airport is unmanned at night, authorities said, and pilots rely on a radio-activated lighting system to make their approach. The pilot's radio was not working. His fiancee called police around 2 a.m.

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