covsting76

Plane Crashes After Pilot Found Unconscious - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis

"A plane crashed into a cornfield in rural Randolph County Wednesday afternoon after it was determined that the pilot was unconscious.

The single-engine plane had been headed to Muncie from an airport near Grand Rapids, Mich. The pilot was the only person on board.

Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the plane. They reported that the pilot's head was seen pressed against the side of the plane before the crash.

"When the pilot became unresponsive to air traffic control somewhere around northeast Indiana, we launched fighter aircraft from NORAD, intercepted the aircraft, made sure the pilot was, in fact, behind the controls of the aircraft," said Michael Kucharek, of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. "He was, but unconscious, slumped over the wheel."

There was no immediate word on whether the pilot survived. The crash site is in far northwestern Randolph County, about three miles southeast of Albany, in the 9800 block of State Road 28.

Kucharek said that the pilot had not responded to radio calls and that he may have blacked out because of a condition known as hypoxia, which is caused by a lack of adequate oxygen.

"We believe it was some type of medical condition that started shortly after he took off," Kucharek said. "He was in contact with air traffic control for a while, but seemed to be a little bit disoriented, which sometimes could indicate hypoxia."

Before it went down, the plane was headed south and was about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Ewfflyer

This is literally within 20miles of my airport(KMIE).

I have a co-worker that knows the pilot, and knows' the plane, and we're not sure why he went to 250(in Mooney Bravo).

Plane originated in GRR, went northbound, and was back inbound to GRR at 250 and lost contact. Obviously, the plane continued southbound. Pilot did not survive. I think the flightaware coverage is so far the best I've read.

FlightAware > Light plane intercepted by F-16s crashes

I am personally most interested in his O2 system. Was it canula's, or masks, how high was the charge on the tank, etc....

Sad day, RIP. My understanding is he has 3 young kids

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CLRDDIRECT

I wonder what this flight was all about? It looks like he flew up to TVC, turned around and came back. TVC has been VFR all day so I doubt it was weather related. And why the turns at the end of the flight? Just flightaware being flightaware?

covsting76

FL 250 seems a little high in a Mooney?

Not to switch topic but CLR are you from the TVC area?

USMCFLYR

Having lost a few friends to hypoxia - I feel the community's loss.
RIP.

USMCFLYR