Man killed in fiery Kentucky jet crash told daughter of trouble in midair

A 70-year-old Wisconsin man was killed in a fiery crash Sunday, Nov. 8, when his military-style jet plunged into a field in Mayfield, Kentucky, shortly after takeoff.

The accident turned a cross-country flight alongside his daughter into a sudden tragedy.

The pilot, identified as James Alan Michaels of Dousman, Wisconsin, and his 35-year-old daughter, Tonie Michaels, were flying separate L-39 Albatros jets. 

"The father and daughter were flying back to Wisconsin from Mississippi," the Graves County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital.

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The pair had been at an air show and stopped at an airport in Mayfield to get fuel, the sheriff's office said.

After takeoff, "they were gaining altitude and the deceased ... said he was having issues," the sheriff's office said. "He was going to turn and go back to the airport."

A Wisconsin man was killed in a fiery crash when his jet plunged into an empty cornfield in Mayfield, Kentucky. His daughter was flying another jet alongside him shortly before he crashed. Their planes are pictured above.  (Graves County Sheriff's Office)

Soon after, "he radioed ... that he was not going to be able to land," the sheriff's office said.

"We think he tried to land in an open field," the sheriff's office said.

However, at around 2:08 p.m., the plane went down just off Spence Chapel Road near Interstate 69 and Ky. 131. "It hit a ditch in that field," the sheriff's office said.

"The ditch seems to be the cause of the main impact," the sheriff's office said. "The plane caught fire and actually rolled."

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The pilot was the only person on the plane. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The daughter soon arrived at the scene, the sheriff's office said. 

"She turned around and landed back at the airport. [Then] she started making phone calls."

The pilot tried to safely land in an empty cornfield in Kentucky (not pictured), but tragically, the plane caught fire after it hit the ground. (iStock)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital that Sunday's crash occurred around 2:25 p.m. local time, though local authorities recorded the crash time slightly earlier, at 2:08 p.m.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its investigators will lead the probe into the crash. 

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An investigator was expected to arrive at the scene Monday evening to document the site and examine the aircraft before it's recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation, the NTSB said.

The NTSB said its investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment. 

Mayfield is a historic city in western Kentucky that serves as the county seat of Graves County. The courthouse is pictured here. (iStock)

As part of the process, investigators will gather flight track data, air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records, witness statements and weather conditions, the agency said.

It said investigators will also review the pilot’s license, ratings, recency of flight experience and 72-hour background check to determine if any issues could have affected his ability to safely operate the flight.

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During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident, the agency said.

A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which is expected in 12 to 24 months, the NTSB said.

"He was going to turn and go back to the airport."

Sixteen years prior to this accident, the same father and daughter duo survived a small-plane crash in a remote area of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, WBAY News Report said at the time.

The same father and daughter survived a plane crash 16 years earlier in a remote part of Rocky Mountain National Park, news reports said at the time. (John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)

On July 8, 2010, James Michaels was piloting a single-engine aircraft with his daughter as his passenger when they encountered a severe downdraft.

The pair crash-landed in heavy timber in Forest Canyon while flying toward Aspen, the National Park Service Summary Report via NTSB Docket previously said.

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Both walked away from the 2010 crash with minor cuts and scratches. 

They used branches and the plane's sheared-off wreckage to build a shelter as they were stranded overnight during evening storms, The Denver Post reported at the time.

Jessica Mekles is an editor on the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.