L-39 jet crashes near Mayfield airport in Kentucky, pilot killed; daughter lands second jet safely

A vintage military jet crashed near an airport in Mayfield, Kentucky, on the afternoon of November 8, killing the pilot. The Graves County Sheriff's Office said 911 received reports of a downed plane at about 2:08 p.m. local time, in a field near Mayfield-Graves County Airport.

Pilot radioed he was returning before the crash

Emergency responders found the aircraft in a field just off Spence Chapel Road, engulfed in flames. The pilot was the sole occupant and was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released. The aircraft was an Aero L-39 Albatros, a Czech-built military trainer now commonly flown privately and in air shows.

The sheriff's office said the pilot and his daughter, both from Wisconsin, were returning from an air show in Mississippi and had stopped at the Mayfield airport to refuel. His daughter was also flying an L-39 Albatros. After takeoff, the pilot radioed that he was returning to the airport and was experiencing some issue, and the plane went down soon after. The second L-39 returned to the airport and landed safely.

FAA and NTSB investigating

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and are responding to the scene to investigate the cause of the crash. The area has been cordoned off.