Small plane crash kills 3 in Illinois

A small plane crashed on a U.S. interstate highway in central Illinois on Tuesday morning, killing three on board.

The Illinois State Police said the plane crashed at about 8:50 local time and was "fully engulfed" in flames when it hit the ground at the 126 exit of Interstate 55, near Lincoln township, Illinois.

Local coroner's office later confirmed that all three occupants were killed in the incident, which took place some 250 kilometers southeast of Chicago.

A picture shared on Twitter showed flames and smoke coming from the wreckage of the plane, reported to be a four-seat Cessna 172.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation into the incident, said local media.