1 dies in plane crash on railroad tracks on south side of Indianapolis

UPDATE: The pilot who died in a small plane crash on Jan. 24 has been identified as 20-year-old Shane Pennington II, the Marion County Coroner’s Office said.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A person died in a small plane crash Tuesday afternoon on railroad tracks on the south side of Indianapolis, authorities say.

Indianapolis police, fire crews and medics were called to the scene about 4 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Weaver and East Edwards avenues. That’s southeast of the intersection of Shelby Street and East Hanna Avenue, just south of the University of Indianapolis. A neighbor of the area called police about the crash.

Officer Genae Cook with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a news conference at the crash site that the identity of the person who died was not immediately available as family members are informed of the death.

Cook said train traffic has been shut down while investigators come to the scene. One CSX train has already been stopped near the crash site. The investigation was expected to keep the tracks closed into the night.

“Federal partners” will be investigating the crash late Tuesday, Cook said. They will determine where the plane took off and where it was going, as well as what caused the crash.

Anyone who may have seen the plane crash or recorded it was being asked to talk to investigators, Cook said.

IMPD said on social media, “There is no outstanding threat to the community or nearby neighborhood.”