Federal aviation investigators have determined a 2012 fatal small plane crash two years ago in central Illinois was likely caused by the plane's inability to maintain proper airspeed and an improper setting on aircraft flaps.

According to reports, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded those factors caused the plane to stall, go into a spin and crash on Aug. 11, 2012 in Taylorville. Twelve skydivers were able to exit the plane safely but 30-year-old pilot Brandon Sparrow of Augusta was killed.

Nobody on the ground was injured and local authorities have credited Sparrow with saving lives because he steered the twin-engine plane away from houses before the plane crashed.