Small Plane Crash Kills Three in Bath Township

A small plane crashed in Bath Township, Michigan, near the intersection of Clark and Peacock roads (near Upton Road) around 5 p.m. on Oct. 16, killing all three people aboard. Multiple agencies responded, establishing a wide perimeter, closing roads and deploying fire, police and air units while officials urged the public to avoid the area. Eyewitness photos and video showed heavy smoke and flames at the wooded crash site. Officials said the cause remains unknown and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating; flight‑tracking data reported locally identified the aircraft as a Beechcraft Hawker 800 (registration XA‑JMR) that departed Battle Creek Executive Airport and entered a sudden descent from about 14,775 feet before the track ended. The investigation is ongoing and authorities have not confirmed the plane’s intended destination or other details.