June 22--Federal investigators will return Monday to Oakland County International Airport to wrap up an on-site investigation of a plane crash that killed four people on Friday.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Eric Weiss said Saturday that surveillance video from the airport will be sent to federal officials for analysis. Investigators also will gather witness statements and sift through records including those for maintenance on the four-seat single-engine Cessna 172 piloted by Troy Brothers, 19, who received his pilot's license less than two months ago. Radio traffic from the airport's control tower indicated the plane may have been overweight.
Brothers was killed, along with his mother, Sandra Haley, 53, and stepfather James Haley, 58, and a fourth victim, Jamie Jose, 34, a firefighter who lived in South Lyon. Brothers was set to depart for the U.S. Naval Academy within weeks.
J. David VanderVeen, director of central services for Oakland County, said the plane took off from Runway 9 Left and reached about 100 feet of altitude when Brothers radioed the the airport's control tower asking for permission to turn around. Soon after, the plane crashed in a field and burst into flames.
Weiss said a preliminary NTSB report is expected in about 10 business days, but the agency's full report -- with the agency's conclusion on probable cause --could take a year to 18 months to complete.
Funeral arrangements weren't finalized Saturday.
The Vermeulen Funeral Home confirmed it was expected to host funeral services for Jose at its Plymouth location at 46401 W. Ann Arbor Road, although details of services still had not been made Saturday. It wasn't clear which funeral home would handle services for Brothers, his mother and stepfather.
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