Authorities identify pilot, passenger hurt in Cole County plane crash

UPDATE 6/20: Authorities have identified the two people on board a small plane when it crashed Sunday.

Capt. John Wheeler with the Cole County Sheriff’s Departmentsays 33-year-old John Abbott and 68-year-old Mark Blume were the two men on board during the crash. They say Abbott was the pilot and Blume was the passenger of the plane.

A family member tells us the two are related by marriage. Abbottis apparently Blume’s daughter’s husband.

ORIGINAL: A single-engine plane crashed in southern Cole County around 2:30 Sunday afternoon.

The plane crashed in the 1600 block of North Teal Bottom Road in Henley.

Cole County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Mike Rackers said a man in his 30’s and another man in his 60’s were inside the plane.

The men were flown to University Hospital for immediate surgery.

Capt. John Wheeler with the Cole County Sheriff’s Department said the crash area is now blocked off until the Federal Aviation Administration comes to investigate. Wheeler said FAA officials will be at the site Monday.

Rackers said a hazmat crew is responding to the scene to stop a fuel leak. He said there was no fire after the crash.

ABC 17 News will continue to update as we learn more.