A group of 18 teenagers on e-bikes rode onto the runway at Oakland Southwest Airport in suburban Detroit last week, forcing a pilot to abort a landing. The intrusion happened around 2:00 p.m. as the group emerged from an adjacent rail trail and began popping wheelies at the end of the runway. The airport’s operations coordinator spotted them, radioed the approaching plane, and instructed the pilot to circle overhead until the teens cleared out.
Oakland County Airport Aviation Manager Cheryl Bush called the incident extremely dangerous. “This was a very, very dangerous maneuver by these bike riders,” she said. “It’s a federal offense to trespass on an airport, and we intend to prosecute anyone found guilty of doing such a thing. This was taking someone’s life in their hands. Their own lives as well as the pilot… We will continue the investigation until we determine who was on those bikes.”
A Close Call at a Small Michigan Airport
Oakland Southwest is a general aviation facility with no perimeter fence. Nothing physically stopped anyone from walking or riding onto the runway, and the airport sits less than a mile from New Hudson, Michigan, surrounded by residential subdivisions. It’s surprising the facility went this long without a serious intrusion.
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Local officials are now working to identify and punish the teenagers involved. But the lack of basic security features, such as a perimeter fence, was partly to blame. A fence alone won’t stop every determined trespasser, though it would at least slow down someone on a bike.
Larger airports with regular commercial service are typically double-ringed with fencing. That infrastructure serves two purposes: keeping people away from spinning propellers and whirling turbofan engines, and keeping wildlife off the runways. In 2023, a moose found its way between the fences at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Connecticut. Officials spotted the animal near the field and eventually euthanized it after it breached the outer barrier.
New Security Measures Planned After Runway Intrusion
Staff at Oakland Southwest plan to erect a temporary fence while a permanent barrier and a surveillance camera system are installed. More “no trespassing” signs will also be posted around the property, though how much of a deterrent those will be remains an open question.
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The episode raises a broader point about small airports. Facilities like this one often operate with minimal security because they handle far less traffic than major hubs and the risk of intrusion seems low. But airports, regardless of size, sit in the middle of communities. A rail trail running alongside the property is an invitation for curious riders, and teenagers with e-bikes can cover ground quickly.
The investigation is ongoing.
Officials have not said whether any of the teenagers have been identified or charged.