LYON TOWNSHIP – A small plane crashed into a home on Saturday in Lyon Township, and three people on board died.
Fortunately, the family of five who lives in the home made it out safely, but the pilot of the plane and its two passengers were killed. The family was in the living room getting ready to watch a movie. They all went into the kitchen to get snacks and then the plane crashed right in the living room moments later. The house was then engulfed in flames.
PREVIOUS: 3 people dead after plane crashes into Lyon Township home, sheriff says
The Home Builders Association of Southeastern Michigan (HBA) released a statement Saturday night, identifying the three people killed as former president David S. Compo, his wife Michele and their son Dawson.
According to the HBA, Compo’s term as president ended on New Year’s Eve.
“We were fortunate to have David leading our team for 2020,” said CEO Michael Stoskopf said in a statement. “His involvement, professionalism and experience over the years have been great assets to our organization and he has been a true friend to me as we faced challenge after challenge during this past year.”
UPDATE: Friends mourn death of family killed in fiery Lyon Township plane crash
An experienced pilot, Compo had flown to Canton, Georgia on December 29 and the family was returning home Saturday, the HBA said.
The incident happened at about 4 p.m. in a neighborhood near Pontiac Trail and Grand River in Lyon Township. The neighborhood is about a 10-minute drive away from New Hudson Airport. Emergency crews surrounded the home Saturday night on Dakota Drive after the single engine Piper PA-24 plane crashed into the house.
“You couldn’t even see the house, it was so much smoke,” said Chase Southwick, who lives nearby. “There was a huge cloud of smoke, really tall flames and we thought the whole house was going to be gone.”
Neighbors said planes flying over the homes has always been a concern.
“Planes are always going over here and there’s an airport about half a mile that way,” said a neighbor.
“It was just weird because a hot air balloon crashed in the exact same spot this summer,” Southwick said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it will release the aircraft number and information once they arrive to the scene. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
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