Wisconsin Pilot Killed in Kentucky Jet Crash After Reporting Midair Issues

James Alan Michaels Killed in Mayfield Jet Crash

James Alan Michaels of Dousman, Wisconsin, died on November 8, 2026, when his military-style jet plunged into a field in Mayfield, Kentucky, shortly after takeoff, Fox News reported.

The 70-year-old pilot was flying an L-39 Albatros jet in formation with his 35-year-old daughter, Tonie Michaels, who piloted a separate aircraft of the same model, according to reporting by frnt.com.

The father and daughter were traveling back to Wisconsin from Mississippi after attending an air show, the Graves County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News. They had stopped at an airport in Mayfield to refuel.

Wisconsin pilot dies in Kentucky crash while returning from air show

Michaels Attempts Emergency Landing in Open Field

After takeoff, while gaining altitude, Michaels reported having issues and stated he was going to turn and go back to the airport, according to the sheriff’s office. Fox6now.com reported that emergency crews were called to the Mayfield Graves County Airport shortly after 2 p.m. for a report of a downed plane.

Michaels subsequently radioed that he would not be able to complete the landing, the sheriff’s office stated. Authorities believe he attempted to land in an open field near Spence Chapel Road close to the intersection of Interstate 69 and Kentucky 131, before the aircraft struck a ditch, caught fire, and rolled.

Wisconsin Pilot Dies in Kentucky Plane Crash

While local authorities recorded the time of the crash at 2:08 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration reported the incident occurred at approximately 2:25 p.m. local time, Fox News reported. Michaels was the sole occupant of the plane and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pilot Lands Safely as NTSB Begins Investigation

Tonie Michaels turned her aircraft around and landed safely back at the airport, according to the sheriff’s office. She later arrived at the crash site.

Kentucky crash wisconsin pilot — Photo: fox6now.com

The National Transportation Safety Board has assumed control of the investigation. Investigators will examine the pilot’s license, ratings, recency of flight experience, and a 72-hour background check, alongside flight track data, air traffic control communications, weather conditions, and aircraft maintenance records, according to the NTSB. A final report detailing the probable cause of the crash is expected in 12 to 24 months.

Sixteen years prior, the same father and daughter survived a small-plane crash on July 8, 2010, in a remote area of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado while flying toward Aspen, according to news reports and National Park Service records cited by Fox News.

In that incident, Michaels was piloting a single-engine aircraft that encountered a severe downdraft and crash-landed in heavy timber in Forest Canyon, leaving both survivors with minor cuts and scratches after spending the night stranded in evening storms.