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DETROIT (WJBK) - A husband and wife were killed in a plane crash Sunday when their Cessna crashed into a a vacant lot in Detroit. 24 hours later, authorities still don't have much more details.
A business owner from the Houston area was piloting the Cessna when it crashed around 8 p.m. Sunday. His wife and son were on board but the 17-year-old is the only one to survive the wreckage. According to authorities, low fuel and landing gear problems are to blame.
Investigators with the NTSB were on the scene Monday to investigate the crash at Detroit's Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport. According to initial findings, the plane had problems landing before it ran out of fuel, hit two trees and a power line, and then exploded into flames. The pilot, Greg Boaz, and his wife, Julie, were both killed.
Two dead, 1 hurt in small plane crash near Detroit's City Airport
The plane was fully engulfed in flames by the time rescue crews arrived. Witnesses rushed to the scene to try help the victims. Cell phone video shows his son, 17-year-old Peyton Boaz running from the wreckage as it was engulfed in flames.
Lifelong friend Bob Mutina told FOX 2 that Greg and his family lived outside of Houston and flew from Arkansas Sunday night for his daughter's volleyball tournament in Detroit this week. He said that Greg owned two restaurants in Texas and only recently bought the plane but not flown recently. He recalled a conversation he had with another friend.
"I said Randy I don't think he's flown. I said he used to fly a lot back in the 80's and 90's and he said you know, Bob, I felt really uncomfortable cuz he said I don't think he's flown in a long time. He said I don't think Greg needs to be flying that airplane until he learns it," Mutina said.
It's too early to tell if the crash was the result of pilot error, mechanical error or both. Investigators with the FAA and NTSB are on scene.
According to Andrew Todd Fox, air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board of Chicago, the pilot was in communication practically the entire flight.
"The pilot reported a landing gear anomaly or a malfunction of the landing gear," Fox said. "The pilot made it clear it was a fuel related issue with the aircraft. There were no additional communications between air traffic control and the aircraft. Shortly thereafter there were 911 calls reporting the aircraft down."
Federal authorities are still investigating and the report will not be complete for at least a year and a half, maybe longer.
Peyton is still hospitalized with critical injuries. Authorities have not yet spoken with him about the crash.