Gerald Pergande crashed just north of the Carl A. Gross Airport in Bay County's Pinconning Township.
The closest house is owned by a man with more than 30-years of emergency response experience.
Federal Aviation Administration officials investigated the crash Thursday morning taking pictures and notes of the plane in pieces.
Neighbors responded, including Buck Schumann, Pinconning Township's former fire chief.
"He crawled out of the plane and he was about 10, 15 feet away when I got to him and checked him out, waited for the ambulance to come," says Schumann.
Police say the pilot came from Bay City's James Clements Airport heading west to the runway.
First responders say the pilot said the sun got in his eyes and kept him from seeing the runway crashing the plane close to two homes.
"We had some up here by the woods, out on the runway, nothing like this," says Schumann about the crash.
The plane snapped an electrical wire knocking the power out for around five hours.
Emergency crews took Pergande to McLaren Bay Region for treatment.
The plane was a Piper Tri Pacer built in the 1950's.
The FAA continues to investigate as well as the National Transportation Safety Board.
