"The plane was in the process of landing and got the crosswind and got pushed to the side," said Prospect Heights Battalion Chief Andrew Plonski.
Plonski said there was a single-engine Cessna off to the side of the runway, where the pilot was standing nearby, when responders arrived on the scene. He said only the front of the plane suffered damages.
Prospect Heights Fire Chief later said the Cessna 172P Skyhawk II had a small fuel leak and the pilot was the only person onboard.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the incident.
Everything relating to the incident must go through a NTSB investigation, Plonski said. The plane was towed away by a local towing company.
Authorities did not provide further information about the incident.