The pilot and his daughter, who is also a pilot and was flying a separate aircraft, were returning from an air show in Mississippi when they stopped in Mayfield to refuel, deputies said. Mayfield is in western Kentucky near the Tennessee border.

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported having trouble with the aircraft and tried to turn back toward the airport, officials said. Emergency dispatchers began receiving calls about a downed plane in a field near the airport around 2:08 p.m. Responders found the aircraft engulfed in flames.

The plane was identified as an L39 Albatros, an older military-style jet. The sheriff's office released a photo of the blue aircraft.

The pilot's daughter landed safely at the airport, according to deputies.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The NTSB typically leads such investigations and issues a preliminary report within weeks, with a final probable-cause finding often taking a year or more.

A family member asked that the pilot's name and hometown not be made public. The sheriff's office did not release further identifying details.

The crash adds to concerns about the safety of vintage and ex-military jets flown by civilian pilots, a niche but passionate community that frequents air shows across the Midwest and South. The L39 Albatros, a Czech-designed trainer once used by Soviet-bloc air forces, is a popular entry-level jet in that circuit.

Anyone with information about the flight is asked to contact the Graves County Sheriff's Office or the NTSB.