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Michigan Basketball Team Plane Slides Off Runway During Takeoff [PHOTOS]

By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid

Call this a bumpy start to the Big Ten tournament for the Michigan basketball team.

The team plane, en route to Washington D.C. on Wednesday afternoon from Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, was forced to abort its takeoff due to high winds and then slid off the runway, "sustaining extensive damage," according to Michigan Basketball on Twitter.  Per the team, "everyone on board was safely evacuated."

The FAA is investigating.

According to the FFA, "The (MD-83) went through a fence and there is nose gear damage to the plane."

Coach John Beilien told MLive.com that "no one was seriously injured....but a few people are banged up." Per MLive, the plane was also carrying band members, cheerleaders and (family members) of the coaching staff.

Matt Shepard, Michigan's play-by-play man for WWJ 950, posted the following photo after the accident.

Another photo shows just how far the plane slid off the runway.

Here's more:

After the evacuation, one of the team managers shared a video of the scene, with the caption, "Plane didn't make it up."

No. 8 Michigan is scheduled to play No. 9 Illinois on Thursday at noon.

Late Wednesday night Michigan Basketball tweeted out the travel schedule.

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