Wisconsin Pilot James Alan Michaels Killed in Kentucky Jet Crash

A 70-year-old Wisconsin pilot died Sunday afternoon when his jet crashed into a field near the Mayfield Graves County Airport in Kentucky, WMTV reported.

James Alan Michaels, a resident of Dousman, Wisconsin, was the sole occupant of the aircraft at the time of the accident, according to WMTV.

The crash occurred shortly after 2:10 p.m. on Nov. 8, following reports of a downed plane in the Graves County area, the Graves County Sheriff’s Office said.

Michaels and his daughter were traveling back from an air show in Mississippi when they stopped at the Mayfield Graves County Airport to refuel, WMTV reported.

Wisconsin pilot dies in Kentucky crash while returning from air show

Both father and daughter were operating L-39 Albatros jets, which are older military-style aircraft, according to the sheriff’s office.

After taking off from the Kentucky airport, Michaels radioed that he was experiencing an issue and was attempting to return to the airfield, WMTV reported.

Shortly after that transmission, the aircraft went down in a field approximately 1.5 miles away from the airport, FOX6 Milwaukee reported.

Kentucky crash wisconsin pilot — Photo: fox6now.com

First responders arrived to find the plane fully engulfed in flames, and they determined that Michaels had died at the scene, WMTV reported.

While the father’s aircraft crashed, his daughter flew her separate L-39 Albatros back to the airport and landed safely, according to both WMTV and FOX6 Milwaukee.

Wisconsin Pilot Dies in Kentucky Plane Crash

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified of the incident, the Graves County Sheriff’s Office said.

Both agencies are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, WMTV reported.