Pilot Killed In Plane Crash Near Oakland County International Airport
WATERFORD (WWJ) - Waterford Township police have confirmed to WWJ Newsradio 950 that one person has died in a plane crash near Oakland County International Airport.
The pilot, Andrew Demo, was killed in the twin-engine Cessna 310 plane which crashed at the Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area around 7:45 p.m. Friday.
The crash happened west of the runway, just off of the Pontiac Lake boat launch. Reportedly, the plane was attempting to land at the time of the accident.
Demo was on final approach to the airport when the aircraft crashed into a wooded area between the beach and the boat landing area. No one else was on board the plane.
The airport was open but under instrument flight rules, which means that visibility is limited and pilots must use aircraft instruments to take-off and land.
The plane is owned by Royal Air, an air freight and charter company based out of the airport. It was returning from Atlanta.
A cause for the crash has not yet been issued. Police remained on the scene overnight to guard the crash site.
FAA Great Lakes Region spokesman Tony Molinaro says it was a small cargo plane.
"The FAA has started an investigation, our folks gather all the information, however, the NTSB leads the investigation so ... all the information will be given over to them," said Molinaro.