SPRINGDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A single-engine aircraft crashed into a tree Saturday morning in northern Michigan after experiencing an electrical failure, but both occupants survived with only minor injuries.
Deputies from the Manistee County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash at 9:39 a.m. in the 18000 block of Tomasek Road in Springdale Township after receiving reports that the pilot and passenger had exited the plane.
Cleon Township Fire personnel confirmed the aircraft was wedged in a tree and leaking fuel, though it never caught fire. Hazardous materials crews from Grand Traverse Metro Fire were called to manage the fuel leak.
The 49-year-old female passenger from Beulah complained of leg pain and possible loss of consciousness, but was evaluated at the scene and not transported to a hospital. The 53-year-old male pilot, also from Beulah, was uninjured.
The pilot told investigators he had departed Thompsonville airport bound for Silver Lake when the aircraft experienced an electrical issue that caused engine failure. He was attempting an emergency landing in a nearby field when the plane crashed into the tree.
Authorities do not believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
Multiple agencies assisted in the response, including Cleon Township Fire, Grand Traverse Metro Fire, MMR EMS, Thompsonville EMS, Manistee County Emergency Management, and Manistee County Central Dispatch.
The Federal Aviation Administration typically investigates aircraft crashes to determine the cause.
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