Plane crash victims were from Indiana, visiting family here

Plane crash victims were from Indiana, visiting family here

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — The two people who died in a plane crash near the Mason County Airport Sunday morning, Nov. 26, 2023, were from Indiana, according to a press release from Michigan State Police. MSP stated the fixed wing single engine plane was occupants included a 43-year-old female, a 60-year-old male and two dogs. The couple were visiting family in Mason County.

MSP reported that the Federal Aviation Administration was on scene investigating and representatives from the National Transportation Safety Bureau were expected to arrive Monday, Nov. 27.

Emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene at 10:01 a.m. Mason-Oceana 911 initially reported the center had received an iPhone notification of a crash. The incident was initially dispatched as a car crash until the 911 center received notification that it was a plane crash.

According to Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole the plane appeared to take off eastbound and “banked hard” in a northerly direction and then crashed. The plane was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Cole said their identity are currently unknown. He said the plane appeared to be a single engine, four-seat plane.

The crash occurred near Meyers and Johnson roads (a small portion of Johnson Road extends west of Meyers Road).

Weather conditions about the time of the crash were 95 percent cloud cover with less than one mile visibility, snowing, with winds 7 mph west-southwest with gusts up to 16 mph. Temperature was 33 degrees.

Emergency personnel responding included Michigan State Police, Pere Marquette Township Fire Department, Ludington Fire Department, Hamlin Fire Department, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan Department of Natural Resources law enforcement, and Life EMS.

Also responding to the scene were Fountain Area Fire Department Auxiliary and Mason County Medical Examiner.

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