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

Rebecca Nash
Reporter · Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 6:09 PM · 1 min read
Man killed in fiery Kentucky jet crash told daughter of trouble in midair — Smyrna Community news

article Photos were taken at the Mayfield Graves County Airport. The blue L39 Albatros depicted in the photo is the plane that went down. (Photo courtesy of Graves County Sheriff's Office) The Brief James Alan Michaels radioed his daughter, Tonie, midair moments before a jet he piloted crashed near a Kentucky airport, according to the Graves County Sheriff’s Office. Tonie piloted a separate jet which landed safely at the airport. Authorities said an investigation into the incident is ongoing. A man killed in a jet crash on Nov. 8 near the Mayfield Graves County Airport in Kentucky on Nov. 8 was in communication with his daughter prior to the incident. James Alan Michaels , 70, was identified as the pilot of L39 Albatros, an older military-style jet, when it crashed in a field near Spence Chapel Road and Ky Hwy 131, according to a release from the Graves County Sheriff’s Office. RELATED: Amazon cargo jet crash: Voice, flight recorders recovered as investigation continues Authorities received a call of a downed plane near the airport and first responders located it in a field engulfed in flames. A second plane piloted by Michaels' daughter, Tonie, 35, landed safely at the Mayfield Graves County airport following the crash. What happened in the Kentucky jet crash? Dig deeper: James Alan Michaels and Tonie Michaels, both from Wisconsin, were e ach flying L39 Albatros jets as they were returning from an air show in Mississippi. The father and daughter stopped at the Mayfield Graves County Airport in Kentucky to refuel. Shortly after takeoff, authorities said James radioed Tonie that he was returning to the airport and was experiencing an issue. Moments later, the plane went down in a field. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are actively investigating the incident. The Source: Information for this story was provided by a release from the Graves County Sheriff’s Office. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. Travel News Kentucky

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