A plane crash in the Branch County on Saturday, February 22, left one person with minor injuries. The accident took place late in the day during a recertification flight.

According to the details shared by the authorities, the plane took off from the Kirsch Municipal Airport in Sturgis. Patrick Murphy, 70, was flying the plane along with a fellow passenger Rick Crepas, 60, of Kalamazoo. Certified instructor Ed Shumway, 72, of Tekonsha also accompanied the duo. The flight was meant to check Murphy’s expertise in different areas of flying a plane before he could be recertified as a pilot.

At the Branch County Memorial Airport, the pilot was attempting a simulated ‘engine-out’ scenario when the simulation went wrong. The plane had a power failure following which it headed straight for the ground. A hurried crash landing was barely managed by the pilot, which still ended in a rough halt for the plane.

As the plane crashed on the airport, it spilled more than 40 gallons of fuel. At the same time, the fuselage, propeller and several other components of the plane sustained damage. Of the three persons on board the plane, only Rick Crepas sustained minor injuries, probably a result of whiplash in the neck area.

A number of law enforcement agencies responded to the crash to investigate the incident. These include Michigan State Police and Branch County Sheriff’s Office. The airport staff also awaited the arrival of National Transportation Safety and Federal Aviation Administration personnel to arrive on the scene and conduct their own investigations.

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