PEORIA, Ill. — A pioneer in organic meat processing in Illinois was among seven people who lost their lives in an early morning crash of a private aircraft east of the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington.

Scott Bittner, 42, of Towanda, who owned Bittner’s Eureka Locker and Bittner’s Meat Co. in Eureka, died April 7 of injuries sustained when the twin-engine Cessna 414A the group was in crashed in a farm field in heavy fog.

In addition to Bittner – who owned the Cessna – pilot Thomas Hileman, 51, of Bloomington, Illinois State University associate head coach Torrey Ward and deputy athletic director Aaron Leetch (identified by The Associated Press) and three other Bloomington-area businessmen perished from blunt force trauma, according to McLean County Coroner Kathy Davis.

The group were on their way home from the NCAA men’s basketball championship game in Indianapolis when the crash occurred.

Born July 24, 1972, in Fairbury, Bittner bought Eureka Locker Service in 1994 after growing up working alongside with his father, Terry Bittner, at Chenoa Locker. Viewed as a boss and a co-worker to his employees, Bittner was “hands-on” in every respect of his business and developed a strong relationship with local farmers and ranchers who brought their animals to him for processing.

In 2005, Bittner’s Eureka Locker became the only USDA organic certified meat processing facility in Illinois. His organic business grew to include locally raised beef, pork and lamb products available both in-store and online at www.bittnersmeatco.com

His organic meat business was profiled in Farm World in 2005 and again in 2009. Bittner was always available to answer questions about the organic meat industry and took great pride in his work.

“Scott’s work ethic was amazing,” recalled Donna O’Shaughnessy, co-owner of South Pork Ranch near Chatsworth and a longtime customer of Bittner’s. “Customer relations were very important to him. Scott would see me in the front lobby and come out to say hello, even though he was swamped. And he would also help load up the meat I was picking up, sometimes several hundred pounds at a time.

“He would also answer the phone and take our cutting order. His commitment to organic made him a pioneer – there are no other certified organic lockers in all of Illinois, and there is a reason for that. It’s very hard to do.”

The morning following Bittner’s death, his employees returned to work at Eureka Locker and carried on the business of processing meat, including three hogs O’Shaughnessy and husband Keith Parrish had dropped off that Monday.

“They were all working. Usually, the day after we drop off hogs we call and get the weights. I didn’t want to make that call, but they called me with those weights. Erica, Scott’s longtime employee, told me, ‘This is what Scott would have wanted. The customers come first,’” said O’Shaughnessy.

She estimates Bittner’s locker processed some 70,000 pounds of organic meats for South Pork Ranch from 2009-15.

Bittner, an alumnus of Illinois State University, is survived by his wife, Carrie, and children Ella (12) and Hayden (10), as well as his parents, a sister, a brother and many other family members.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash, but has announced its study could take 12-18 months to complete. According to an AP article, NTSB investigator Todd Fox said the Cessna appeared to miss its approach to the airport. If that happened, the plane should have turned west to try again. Fox said instead, the plane climbed and turned east before crashing. He said the pilot’s last radio communication didn’t indicate any distress.

Bittner’s funeral was held April 11 in Normal, Ill. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.