What should have been a happy family reunion turned out to be tragic after two grandparents perished in a plane crash while traveling to be with their family for Thanksgiving celebrations.

Joseph and Patty Kreher from Freeburg, Illinois, died on Saturday after their twin-engine Piper PA-30 aircraft crashed at around 11:15 am in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The aircraft took off from St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia and made a stop in London, Kentucky before crashing.

Speaking to the local news station, Air Safety investigator Pete Wentz said that the pilot had communicated with the radio tower, indicating an issue with the plane before it went down. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the issue to determine the cause of the crash.

During his call to the tower, “The pilot said he needed to circle the airport for a second attempt. While maneuvering the circle, the aircraft lost control and crashed,” said Wentz.

The plane touched down near the backyard of a resident, Susan Harrison-Bailey. Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured due to the crash. According to the woman, it didn’t hit her home and she could not determine what had happened due to all the smoke.

“At first, I couldn’t tell whether it was a plane. There was a lot of smoke… it smashed into the trees and landed straight up and down,” she said.

While NTSB is going on with the investigation, the neighborhood in Freeburg is mourning the loss of its departed neighbors.

The Krehers owned a machine shop business called General Machine, providing large equipment repair and parts. 

The couple’s tragic death comes at a time meant for celebration, joy, and love.

A family member confirmed that the Krehers were flying in to visit their son and grandchildren for Thanksgiving. “They have made several trips to St. Louis to North Carolina several times before without any incident,” the family member said.