Plane crash reported near county airport; pilot killed in crash
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op: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Plane Crash in Highland County
Pilot crashed overnight, his wife called police Friday morning.
By 700WLW News
Friday, April 2, 2010
Emergency crews got a call Friday morning from the wife of a Highland County pilot who apparently crashed overnight, Cincinnati Radio Station 700 WlW News (http://www.700wlw.com) reported today.
Crews found the wreckage of the plane near the Highland County Airport and Rocky Fork Lake Park, WLW said.
The radio station said an employee at the airport said the pilot was doing some night flying in his 172 Cessna when he crashed. His wife called 911 around 7 o'clock Friday morning when she realized he never came home.
The pilot's name has not yet been released. The Ohio State Patrol is investigating.
A 46-year-old Hillsboro man is dead, following an airplane crash early Good Friday morning near the Highland County Airport.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, John J. Winkelman was killed in the crash. The wreckage of the plane was discovered near the Highland County Airport and Rocky Fork Lake State Park Friday morning.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, John J. Winkelman was killed in the crash. The wreckage of the plane was discovered near the Highland County Airport and Rocky Fork Lake State Park Friday morning.
Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward told The Highland County Press Friday that the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the FAA are investigating the crash. Ward said the male pilot was killed. He said the pilot was not the owner of the plane.
Ward said it was unclear if the pilot had permission to fly the aircraft. The OSHP reported that Winkelman stole the plane. The initial investigation indicates he crashed while coming in for a landing.
According to News 5 in Cincinnati, troopers said Winkleman stole the plane, but the plane's owner, Robert Skoog, said that Winkleman had standing permission to fly his plane.
"Skoog that he didn't know why Winkleman was flying last night," News 5 reported. "He said officials told him the plane's fuel tank was nearly dry when the plane crashed, which means Winkleman was flying for quite a while prior to the crash.
"He was a natural, what we call a natural. You know, there's people that pick up flying and then there's people that have a hard time, you know. But, he was a natural," said Skoog.
The Ohio State Patrol, the NTSB and FAA are investigating.