Sheriff’s office IDs pilot killed in jet crash in Graves County, Ky.

GRAVES COUNTY, Ky. (Heartland News) - The sheriff’s office has identified the pilot who died after a jet crashed in Graves County, Kentucky on Sunday, November 8.

According to the Graves County Sheriff’s Office, the pilot was identified as 70-year-old James Alan Michaels of Dousman, Wisconsin.

They say an autopsy has been scheduled for later on Monday.

Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden said 911 calls came in about a downed plane around 2:08 p.m. near the Mayfield Graves County Airport.

This is near Interstate I-69 and KY Hwy 131.

Emergency crews found the jet in a field just off Spence Chapel Road, engulfed in flames.

Officials say the only person in the jet, the pilot, was dead. The jet was an L-39 Albatros, an older military-style jet.

The sheriff’s office said the pilot and his daughter, both from Wisconsin, were flying separate L-39 Albatros jets. They were returning from an air show in Mississippi when they stopped at the Mayfield Graves County Airport to refuel.

Officials say that after takeoff, the pilot radioed, saying he was experiencing an issue and would return to the airport. After that, the jet went down in the field.

The daughter’s L-39 Albatros returned to the airport and landed safely.

In the photo below, officials say the blue L-39 Albatros is the jet that went down.

The FAA and NTSB have been notified, and they are responding to the scene. They will conduct an investigation.

The Graves County Sheriff’s Office asks that the public stay away from the area.