The son of U.S. Senator James Inhofe was killed over the weekend in the crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Perry Inhofe, 52, an orthopedic surgeon, crashed about five miles short of Tulsa International Airport after reportedly losing power in one engine. He had taken of from Salina, Kansas, on Sunday before experiencing trouble at some point in the flight.
The NTSB said the pilot was the sole occupant of the MU-2B-25 when it crashed in wooded terrain and caught fire. Inhofe reportedly bought the airplane in September.
Senator Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, is an avid pilot with more than 11,000 flight hours who taught his son to fly more than 30 years ago. He was instrumental in passage of the Pilots Bill of Rights last year.
The MU-2B was the subject of a special FAA safety review several years ago after a number of deadly loss-of-control accidents. The FAA mandated special training for all pilots of the airplane, and its safety record has seen steady improvement.
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