Special Agent Terrance Patrick Loftus of the DEA was killed in Illinois while piloting an aircraft on a drug mission. He had departed Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois en-route to St. Louis, Missouri. Shortly after take-off, he radioed the tower and reported an engine failure before disappearing from radar. He attempted to land in a large field, but crashed into a residential garage becoming completely engulfed in flames. Loftus was the sole person aboard the aircraft.

Special Agent Loftus was born in Hasting, Michigan, and graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He served in the United States Army from 1981 to 1988. Terry was hired by DEA and assigned to the Washington Division, Baltimore District Office beginning September 10, 1989. While assigned to Baltimore, he served in the active reserve of the Maryland National Guard. He was an experienced pilot with 1,700 hours of flight time. On November 11, 1999, he was assigned to the Office of Aviation Operations in Chicago, Illinois.

Special Agent Loftus is survived by his wife Deborah, and their children, Dornier, Banon, Mallory and Ross, his parents Iris and Patrick Loftus of Hasting, Michigan, his brother Andrew of Annapolis, Maryland and his sister Denise Garn of Jenison, Michigan.