Plane crash in Ohio and Daviess counties that took off from Bowling Green, takes 2 lives

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A pair of pilots were tragically found dead Thursday morning near Ohio and Daviess Counties after flying out of Bowling Green Regional Airport towards Owensboro. A student pilot and his trainer were doing what is called a touch and go.

“What that is, is repeated takeoffs and landings without coming to a full stop. It allows you to get a lot of landings and takeoffs into a small amount of time where you can hone your skills and make sure that you understand the way the aircraft reacts to certain things,” Bob Pitchford of the Aviation Heritage Park says.

The pilots were out flying Wednesday night when they ran into a severe thunderstorm. However, night flying is not as rare as you’d think.

“Touch and gos can be handled at any time, daytime or nighttime. Part of your private pilot’s requirements is night flight… When you’re with a certified flight instructor, then he can coach you through it to build your confidence and your technique,” Pitchford says.

He also says the pilots would be under what is called Part 91 rules, which are from the Code of Federal Regulations.

“A flight plan wasn’t required for that, but it is imperative and required by those same Part 91 rules that the pilot in command afforded himself of all possible information pertaining to his flight,” Pitchford says.

One of the major things you should check out before you fly?

“Weather is what we all watch. Even the guys flying the airliners, they’re under a different regulation set. But still, it’s the weather that gives them the pause,” Pitchford says.