The pilot who died in the crash of a twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 turboprop Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma was the son of Sen. Jim Inhofe, according to local news reports. The airplane, which crashed after reportedly losing power in at least one engine, had been sold to Perry Inhofe, 52, an orthopedic surgeon, in September. Nobody else was hurt in the crash. The airplane had taken off from Salina, Kan., and was about five miles from Tulsa International Airport, its destination, when it reportedly was seen maneuvering with at least one engine out. The crash occurred in a wooded area. The airplane caught fire and was destroyed.
Dr. Inhofe earned his commercial pilot certificate in 2009 and was certified as a flight instructor in February 2012, according to the Daily Mail. Senator Inhofe, a Republican, is well-known in aviation circles, and was the main force behind the Pilot’s Bill of Rights that was passed last year. He has been in the Senate since 1994. The MU-2B was the subject of a special safety review by the FAA several years ago after several loss-of-control accidents. The FAA mandated special training for all pilots of the fleet.
