Lowell

  • | |

    Cessna Crashed in Front of House in Lowell; Pilot Survives

    A 1964 Cessna 172 crashed in the driveway of a home in the 400 block of Lincoln Lake Avenue SE in Lowell, Michigan, at around 5:45 p.m. on January 19.

    The plane was scheduled to land at the Lowell City Airport when it hit trees and crashed in front of a residence.

    The pilot, a 40-year-old man hailing from Grand Rapids, was taken to hospital with only minor injuries. Authorities said he was taking flight training since April 2014 and was attempting a solo landing after flying for some time with his instructor.

    No one on the ground was injured.

    The incident is under investigation.

  • | |

    Ultralight Plane Crash at Lowell Airport Kills a Man

    UltralightAn ultralight plane offered for sale crashed during its test flight at Lowell Airport, Vergennes Township, near Lowell, Michigan, at about 11:30 a.m. on August 24.

    Kent County sheriff’s Sgt. Russ Larson confirmed that a New Mexico man who was taking the test flight in the aircraft owned by a local resident, was killed in the crash. He was identified as Bryan Bowker, 67, of Edgewood.

    Authorities said that the plane successfully took off and landed once but crashed during a second take off attempt. Jeff Ostrander, who runs a flight school at Lowell Airport, said, “He had been doing some practicing with the aircraft, taxing up and down the runway to become familiar with the ground handling characteristics…I think what probably happened is a narrow dynamic stall where in the wing is held at such angle to the wind that no longer provides normal lift and airplanes do not fly in that condition.”

    The FAA is investigating the crash.