Pilot killed after jet crashes in Kentucky field
The L-39 Albatros went down near Mayfield after the pilot reported an issue during takeoff.
By Samir Doyle ·
A Wisconsin man died on Sunday after his jet crashed in a field near the Mayfield Graves County Airport. The pilot was the only person on board the aircraft.
Emergency responders received calls about the crash at 2:08 p.m. The plane was located burning in a field off Spence Chapel Road. The site is near the intersection of Interstate 69 and Kentucky Highway 131.
The aircraft was an L-39 Albatros, a military-style jet. The sheriff's office said the pilot and his daughter were returning from an airshow in Mississippi. They had stopped at the Mayfield airport to refuel before continuing their journey.
The daughter was flying a second L-39 Albatros. She landed safely at the airport after her father's plane went down. The sheriff's office has not released the pilot's name.
The pilot radioed to the tower after takeoff. He reported an issue and said he was returning to the airport. The plane crashed shortly after that communication.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.
