Mitchell W. Janssen, 22, of Princeville, was flying the plane and Matthew R. Hanson, 33, of Pulaski, Wisconsin, and Kevin G. Chapman, 30, of Urbana were passengers, Illinois State Police said Wednesday.
The three were killed after the small plane in which they were riding crashed onto Interstate 55 in Lincoln.
The plane crashed at milepost 126 at about 8:49 a.m., police said. The plane, a single-engine Cessna 172, burst into flames upon crashing into the middle of the expressway, police said.
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All three were killed in the crash, police said.
Officials later said the plane had flown out of Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement, saying, "The plane was destroyed upon impact. The FAA and the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will investigate with the NTSB leading the investigation."
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Traffic on I-55 was diverted at milepost 126. The road closure lasted about six hours, police said.
All lanes reopened just before 3 p.m.