Northwest Airlines Flight 255 Memorial

Passerby motorists would be forgiven for not noticing the memorial hidden between trees at Middlebelt Road's intersection with Interstate 94. Here, a simple black plaque honors the 156 fatalities of Northwest Airlines Flight 255, which crashed shortly after takeoff from nearby Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

On August 16, 1987, this McDonnell Douglas MD-82 was on its way to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. However, it quickly lost control and hit the freeway intersection less than a mile from the runway. In addition to killing all but one of the plane crew and passengers, two motorists on the ground were also casualties. The only passenger survivor was 4-year-old Cecilia Cichan, who was orphaned by the crash. Investigators concluded that it occurred due to an improper flap and slat takeoff configuration, which the deck crew failed to notice.

This granite memorial was dedicated in 1994, listing all the victims of the crash. On the anniversary of the crash, their families meet here to commemorate the tragedy. There are also memorials in Phoenix, where many of the victims were from, as well as at the General Motors Proving Ground in Milford, since 14 GM employees were on the flight.