A 70-year-old Wisconsin man died Sunday, Nov. 8, after his military-style jet crashed into a field in Mayfield, Kentucky, shortly after takeoff.
James Alan Michaels of Dousman, Wisconsin, was flying one of two L-39 Albatros jets alongside his 35-year-old daughter, Tonie Michaels, who operated the second aircraft. The father and daughter were traveling back to Wisconsin from Mississippi after attending an air show, according to the Graves County Sheriff’s Office.
The pair had stopped at a Mayfield airport to refuel before taking off for the next leg of their journey. Shortly after climbing into the air, Michaels reported mechanical problems and stated his intention to turn around and return to the airfield.
Moments later, he radioed air traffic control that he would no longer be able to land. Investigators believe he attempted an emergency landing in an open field near Spence Chapel Road, just off Interstate 69 and Kentucky 131.
The aircraft struck a drainage ditch in the field at approximately 2:08 p.m., which authorities identified as the primary point of impact. The jet caught fire and rolled upon striking the ground. Michaels was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tonie Michaels landed safely back at the airport shortly after the emergency began and arrived at the crash site soon afterward. The Federal Aviation Administration placed the time of the crash slightly later at approximately 2:25 p.m. local time.
The National Transportation Safety Board assumed control of the investigation, with an investigator scheduled to arrive at the site to document wreckage and inspect the aircraft. The agency plans to move the plane to a secure facility for more detailed examination.
Investigators will focus their review on three primary areas: the pilot, the machine, and the operating environment. The inquiry will gather flight-tracking data, air traffic control recordings, maintenance logs, witness statements, and weather conditions. Authorities will also review Michaels’ pilot license, ratings, recent flight hours, and 72-hour history.
The NTSB noted that it does not speculate on accident causes during the active on-scene investigation. A final report detailing the probable cause and any contributing factors is expected within 12 to 24 months.
Sixteen years prior to the fatal accident, Michaels and his daughter survived another aviation incident in a remote section of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. On July 8, 2010, Michaels piloted a single-engine aircraft carrying his daughter toward Aspen when a powerful downdraft forced a crash landing in dense timber within Forest Canyon.
Both occupants escaped that 2010 incident with minor cuts and scratches. Stranded overnight during a series of evening mountain storms, they constructed a makeshift shelter using tree branches and fragments of the damaged aircraft before rescue.
