A 70-year-old Wisconsin pilot died when his military-style jet went down in a Kentucky field and burned after he reported trouble and tried to turn back, while his daughter landed her own jet safely.
Story Snapshot
- The pilot was James Alan Michaels, 70, of Dousman, Wisconsin.
- He and his daughter were flying home from an air show in Mississippi and stopped in Mayfield, Kentucky, for fuel.
- Soon after takeoff, he reported a problem and said he would turn back to the airport.
- His daughter, Tonie, 35, was flying a second L-39 jet and landed safely.
- The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and officials have not released a cause.
- In July 2010, Michaels and his daughter survived a crash in Rocky Mountain National Park and spent a stormy night in a shelter they built from branches and wreckage.
Trouble Soon After Takeoff
The crash happened on Sunday, November 8, near Mayfield in western Kentucky. James Alan Michaels and his daughter had stopped at the Mayfield-Graves County Airport to refuel on their way home to Wisconsin from an air show in Mississippi. Each was flying an L-39 Albatros, an older military-style training jet that private owners fly at air shows. It is not a passenger plane.
Soon after takeoff, while his jet was still climbing, Michaels reported a problem, according to the Graves County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies said he told his daughter he was having an issue and needed to go back. He planned to turn around and return to the airport, the sheriff’s office said. He then radioed that he was not going to be able to land, the sheriff’s office said. Officials have not said what went wrong with the plane.
The Crash and the Fire
The sheriff’s office believes Michaels tried to set the jet down in an open field. The plane hit a ditch, which officials said “seems to be the cause of the main impact.” The jet then caught fire and rolled. It came down off Spence Chapel Road, near Kentucky Highway 131 and Interstate 69.
Michaels was the only person on board, and he died at the scene. Local officials put the time of the crash at about 2:08 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration, the agency that oversees U.S. flying, gave a time of about 2:25 p.m. local time.
His Daughter Landed Safely
Tonie Michaels was flying her own L-39 nearby when her father reported the problem. She turned around, landed back at the Mayfield airport and began making phone calls, according to reports.
It was not the first time the father and daughter faced danger in the air together. In July 2010, Michaels was flying a small single-engine plane with his daughter aboard when a strong downdraft forced them down in heavy timber in Rocky Mountain National Park. Both came through with minor cuts and scratches. They built a shelter from branches and wreckage and spent the night there through storms.
What Investigators Will Look At
The National Transportation Safety Board, the federal agency that investigates plane crashes, is leading the investigation, and the FAA is also involved. An NTSB investigator was expected at the site on Monday evening, November 9, to document the scene and examine the jet before it is moved to a secure building. Investigators will gather flight track data, air traffic control recordings, maintenance records, witness statements and weather reports. They will also review the pilot’s license, ratings, recent flying and his activity in the 72 hours before the crash.
The NTSB does not name a cause while it is at the scene. About a month after a crash, it usually issues a preliminary report that lists facts only. The final report, which states the probable cause, is expected in 12 to 24 months.
Sources:
foxnews.com, wtmj.com, wlky.com, westkentuckystar.com, wbay.com, wkyt.com, weau.com, ntsb.gov