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A 70-year-old Wisconsin man was killed in a fiery crash Sunday, Nov. 8, when his military-style plane plunged into a field in Mayfield, Kentucky, shortly after takeoff.
The accident turned a cross-country flight alongside her daughter into a sudden tragedy.
The pilot, identified as James Alan Michaels of Dousman, Wisconsin, and his 35-year-old daughter, Tonie Michaels, were flying separate L-39 Albatros jets.
“The father and daughter were returning from Mississippi to Wisconsin,” the Graves County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital.
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The two men had attended an air show and stopped at a Mayfield airport to get fuel, the sheriff’s office said.
After takeoff, “they were gaining altitude and the deceased (…) said he was having problems,” the sheriff’s office said. “He was going to turn around and go back to the airport.”
A Wisconsin man was killed in a fiery crash when his plane plunged into an empty cornfield in Mayfield, Kentucky. His daughter was flying another plane alongside him shortly before his accident. Their planes are pictured above. (Graves County Sheriff’s Office)
Shortly after, “he announced by radio (…) that he would not be able to land,” the sheriff’s office said.
“We believe he attempted to land in an open field,” the sheriff’s office said.
However, around 2:08 p.m., the plane crashed just off Spence Chapel Road, near Interstate 69 and Ky. 131. “It hit a ditch in this field,” the sheriff’s office said.
“The ditch appears to be the cause of the main impact,” the sheriff’s office said. “The plane caught fire and actually rolled.”
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The pilot was the only person on board the plane. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The girl quickly arrived on scene, the sheriff’s office said.
“She turned around and landed at the airport. (Then) she started making phone calls.”
The pilot attempted to land safely in an empty Kentucky cornfield (not pictured), but tragically the plane caught fire after hitting the ground. (iStock)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital that Sunday’s crash occurred around 2:25 p.m. local time, although local authorities recorded the time of the crash slightly earlier, at 2:08 p.m.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its investigators would lead the investigation into the crash.
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An investigator was expected to arrive at the scene Monday evening to document the site and examine the plane before it was taken to a secure facility for further evaluation, the NTSB said.
The NTSB said its investigations focus on three main areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operational environment.
Mayfield is a historic town in western Kentucky that serves as the county seat of Graves County. The courthouse is pictured here. (iStock)
As part of the process, investigators will gather data on flight paths, air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records, witness statements and weather conditions, the agency said.
Investigators will also review the pilot’s license, qualifications, recency of flight experience and 72-hour background check to determine if any issues could have affected his ability to safely complete the flight.
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During the on-scene investigation phase, the NTSB does not determine or speculate on the cause of the accident, the agency said.
The probable cause of the accident and contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, expected in 12 to 24 months, the NTSB said.
“He was going to turn around and go back to the airport.”
Sixteen years before this accident, the same father and daughter duo survived a plane crash in a remote area of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, WBAY News Report reported at the time.
The same father and daughter survived a plane crash 16 years earlier in a remote part of Rocky Mountain National Park, according to media reports at the time. (John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)
On July 8, 2010, James Michaels was piloting a single-engine plane with his daughter as a passenger when they encountered a severe downdraft.
The two crashed into heavy timber in Forest Canyon while flying toward Aspen, the National Park Service summary report via NTSB Docket previously stated.
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Both emerged from the 2010 crash with minor cuts and scrapes.
They used branches and plane wreckage to build a shelter while they were stranded overnight during evening storms, the Denver Post reported at the time.
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