It is with great sadness that we report the death of George Irick, 68. He died in a single engine plane crash in rural Indiana Saturday evening on his way back from Ohio. Authorities found the wreckage Sunday mid-morning and additional details have since come to light. Hailing from Congerville and a regular at the Peoria meetings – usually wearing his cowboy hat, George Irick served selflessly as an active part of our family, serving on GSL's board of directors and in GSL's endeavors.
A man of many talents, I recall how he brought the machinery to make quick and easy work installing a new set of our signs on I-39 a few years ago.
Interstate 39 near Tonica is a busy, busy road. Lots of traffic all day long.
In the morning, nothing.
By 6 pm that afternoon, the traveling public could read the newly posted message as they went southbound:
HEY CRIMINALS,
BETTER BE WARY
ILLINOIS HAS
CONCEALED CARRY!
GUNSSAVELIFE.COM
Yes, this week's Peoria meeting will be sad with the loss of our friend and colleague George Irick. It hurts to lose great men like George.
From NBC5 Chicago:
A pilot found dead Sunday morning after crashing a plane in west central Indiana near downstate Danville has been identified.
68-year-old George P. Irick Jr. was identified as the pilot by authorities. The Congerville-native was flying to Peoria when his plane went down near West Lebanon, according to Indiana State Police.
Irick was the only person in the plane at the time of the crash, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night.
Volunteers, police, and fire officials searched for the plane for six hours, but suspended the search due to rough terrain near the crash site.
A state police helicopter located the plane around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday morning near County Road 450 South and County Road 400 West, according to police.
Once the plane was located on foot, the pilot was discovered dead in the cockpit, according to officials.