A pilot instructor sustained minor injuries during a hard landing at Romeo State Airport yesterday, around 7:45 p.m. According to a report by CBS News Detroit, the aircraft, a 1976 Piper Model PA-28-151, experienced mechanical failure, specifically a cracked cylinder, leading to an oil leak and smoke in the engine during its flight from Oakland County International Airport.
The instructor and a trainee were logging flight hours when the incident occurred in Macomb County's Ray Township, where the small public airport is located. As detailed by the Michigan State Police's Second District on social media, the instructor opted to shut down the engine and make an emergency landing which resulted in the plane's front landing gear breaking off and the aircraft skidding to a stop on the runway. "The pilot saw the Romeo State Airport nearby. The Pilot instructor decided to shut off the engine and attempt an emergency landing at the airport," stated the MSP Second District in a social media post.
Plane Crash:
— MSP Second District (@mspmetrodet) September 5, 2025
09/04 at 7:45 p m
Location:
Romeo State Airport
15340 32 Mile Rd
Ray Twp, MI, 48096
Macomb County
Synopsis:
The Macomb County Dispatch Center notified Metro North troopers of a plane crash at the Romeo State airport. When troopers arrived they made contact with a… pic.twitter.com/yDiS6dmtLY
The trainee pilot was not injured during the hard landing. The airport was temporarily closed amid the investigation to prevent further landings. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and an Aviation Safety Inspector has taken the lead on the ongoing investigation. "The FAA was contacted, the airport closed to prevent further landings during the investigation and the crash reported," the MSP Second District announced.
Romeo State Airport has since reopened for operation. The instructor, who endured minor lacerations, has not been identified. With the FAA's investigation continuing, more details are expected to be released regarding the cause of the mechanical failure and the ensuing hard landing.
