Small plane crashes at West Michigan airport; pilot survives

LOWELL, Mich. (AP) - Authorities in western Michigan say a single-engine plane has crashed near Lowell City Airport and the pilot survived.

The Kent County Sheriff's Department said in a statement that the plane went down around 5:45 p.m. Monday. The airport is about 15 miles east of Grand Rapids.

The department says the pilot was a 40-year-old Grand Rapids man who had been in training since April. He had been flying with his instructor for about two hours Monday before he attempted a solo landing.

The statement says the plane struck trees and landed in the driveway of a home. The pilot, who was not immediately identified, was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.