Pilot of plane that crashed near Plano ID'd

PLANO, Ill. (WLS) -- John Juergensmeyer, 80, died Sunday night when his small plane crashed near Plano, about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, the Kendall County coroner confirms.

Juergensmeyer was an attorney and owned the firm Juergensmeyer & Associates, P.C. His firm released a statement Monday, saying, "We are devastated at the passing of our beloved boss, John Juergensmeyer. All of his staff members have been with him for many, many years and words cannot begin to express the grief that we are feeling today. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Juergensmeyer family."

The plane went down around 10 p.m. Sunday near a dark, wooded area in Kendall County.

It took emergency crews some time to find the wreckage. A helicopter with night vision found the plane in a corn field.

Authorities are investigating cause of the crash.