Small plane crashes in residential area in Poplar Grove, Illinois; one person confirmed on board

Federal and local officials are investigating after a small plane crashed in a residential area within Boone County on Saturday afternoon.

Boone County officials said the call for the single-engine plane crash came around 4 p.m. in a residential neighborhood in Poplar Grove, about 10 miles east of Rockford, and about a mile-and-a-half south of the Poplar Grove Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board later said it was a Whittman Tailwind airplane.

Witnesses say the plane crashed into the fence dividing two homes.

"A loud bang, and then I just saw a whole bunch of people running," said Jayden Gallegos.

"Fire crews immediately initiated fire suppression operations and secured the gas leak in coordination with the Nicor Gas Company," said Public Information Officer Joseph Prokop. 

No one inside the homes was injured, though the owner of one of the houses said his son was outside in the driveway when the plane came down.

"Out of an abundance of caution, nearby residents were temporarily evacuated due to the active gas leak," Prokop said.

Officials confirmed one person was aboard the plane, though they did not say if the person survived, pending the notification of next of kin. However, the county coroner arrived on the scene, and crews were handling a body at the crash site.

The NTSB is investigating this incident.