**Editor’s note: Officials say the plane made an emergency landing after initial reports of a crash.
MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) — Officials held a press conference at the scene of where a small single-engine plane made an emergency landing near Mayfield Middle School Tuesday morning.
A call reportedly came in around 11 a.m. that a plane landed behind the school building on SOM Center Road.
Three people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol, but no students were involved in the incident. The plane had a mechanical malfunction, OSHP said, although it’s unclear exactly what went wrong.
The incident took place when Catherine Terez, a pilot in training from University Heights, was performing an exercise to stall the plane out, but when she attempted to turn back on controls, it didn’t work.
Flight trainer Laurence Rohl took controls of the plane and made the emergency landing. Ted Rieple III was also inside the plane.
“This location was probably about the best they could do given the circumstances that was far away from any residents and the buildings themselves,” OSHP Sgt. Ray Santiago told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
Classes at the school are not being canceled at this time. Officials are still investigating.