Wisconsin Pilot Dies in Kentucky Jet Crash

Michaels and his 35-year-old daughter, Tonie, were flying back to Wisconsin from Mississippi after attending an air show. They stopped in Mayfield to refuel before taking off again in separate L-39 Albatros jets. Soon after departure, Michaels told his daughter by radio that he was experiencing trouble and planned to return to the airport, according to the Graves County Sheriff’s Office. He later said he could not land.

The jet came down in a field near Spence Chapel Road, Interstate 69 and Kentucky 131. Local authorities put the crash at about 2:08 p.m. on November 8; the Federal Aviation Administration gave a time of about 2:25 p.m. The sheriff’s office said the aircraft struck a ditch, caught fire and rolled. Michaels, the plane’s sole occupant, died at the scene.

His daughter turned back and landed at the airport before contacting others. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. Its investigators are examining the aircraft and will review flight data, communications, maintenance records, witness accounts, weather and information about Michaels’ qualifications and recent flight experience. The agency expects its final report, including a probable cause, in 12 to 24 months.

Michaels and his daughter had also survived a 2010 crash in Rocky Mountain National Park. Their single-engine plane encountered a severe downdraft and came down in Forest Canyon. They sustained minor cuts and scratches and spent the night sheltered in the woods during storms.