Piqua man killed in plane crash at Madison County Airport

MADISON COUNTY — A 79-year-old Piqua man was killed after he crashed his single-engine plane Wednesday morning near the Madison County Airport.

The pilot was identified as Donald E. Apple by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He attempted to land his 1967 fixed wing single-engine Beech V35 at the Madison County Airport when it crashed prior to the landing strip, Lt. Robert Curry of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

The crash was reported around 7:30 a.m. at the airport on U.S. 40 north of London.

Apple was the only occupant, investigators said.

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The crash is now under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Traffic Safety Board, troopers said.

The FAA website shows that Apple did not have a valid pilot’s license. His medical certificate expired in September 2018.

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The crash comes on the second day of the Farm Science Review that attracts several people in the agricultural field to the London-area with several flights landing at the Madison County Airport.

Previously, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office said the airport is closed and flights inbound for the Farm Science Review should use the next closest airport.