WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Four people were killed Friday when a small plane crashed at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Township.
The Cessna 172 plane went down at 1:40 p.m., killing 19-year-old Troy Brothers of Fraser, his mother, 53-year-old Sandra Haley of Fraser, his step-father 58-year-old James Haley, and his brother-in-law, 34-year-old Jamie Jose of South Lyon -- a Northfield Township firefighter.
The plane was taking off from runway 9 Left (heading east) and reached an estimated altitude of 100 feet when Brothers contacted the air traffic control tower to request permission to turn around and land, according to the air traffic control tower chief.
The plane crashed on the airport grounds beyond the end of the runway and burst into flames.
Watch: Raw video of crash scene
Seconds later, the plane went down and burst into flames.
The three men were pronounced dead at the scene. Sandra Haley was rushed to a hospital, but died.
The airport, which is located at 6500 Highland Road, was closed for almost three hours.
"It's a very sad dayfor the airport," said VanderVeen, a county official who previously managed the airport for 25 years. He added that the airport's last fatal crash was in 2006.
The Federal Aviation Administration was en route to the airport and the National Transportation and Safety Board is expected to arrive Saturday.
Oakland County is the state's second busiest airport after Detroit Metropolitan Airport, which is in the Detroit suburb of Romulus.