Plane crashes in Detroit following chase with officials

Detroit Fire Chief Lee Moore said three U.S. Customs planes had been chasing the plane since El Paso, Texas. Moore said he believed the pilot ran low on fuel before crashing into an empty baseball field at around 6:10 p.m.

The field is next to a junior high school on the west side of Detroit.

Moore said Customs officials began following the plane at Big Bend National Park as part of a routine surveillance operation. Customs officials often follow planes near the U.S. and Mexican border, Moore said.

Moore said he believed the pilot was heading to Canada in a homemade aircraft.

"I'm assuming in his desperation there was an attempt to stop in this field," Moore said.

The identity of the pilot has not yet been released.

Neighbor Gloria Johnson said she heard a booming sound, saw the plane hit a tree and then crash into the field. She said the pilot was still talking when neighbors ran to help.

"There were big bundles of drugs and money all around the plane," Johnson said. "The bundles of marijuana looked like two big suitcases."

Johnson said she saw people leave the scene with some of the packages.

04-20-98