82-Year-Old Pilot Found Dead 4 Days After Taking Off in Home-Built Plane for 'Routine' Flight

Richard Martin.Photo:Dowagiac Police Department/Facebook

Dowagiac Police Department/Facebook

The body of an 82-year-old Michigan pilot was found after he was last seen taking off Sunday in his home-built plane.

Richard Martin’s body was discovered Thursday afternoon after first responders involved with the search and rescue were alerted to anairplane that had crashedin a wooded area off of M-51 North near Elm St., about two miles north of Dowagiac, the Dowagiac Police Departmentsaid in a news release.

Martin’s body was then found at the crash site with his plane, police added.

The search for Martin began after his small plane took off from Dowagiac Municipal Airport around 11 a.m. local time Sunday, per aprevious news release.

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Richard Martin’s Sonex Plane.Dowagiac Police Department/Facebook

An investigation into what caused his plane to crash is ongoing, the department said.

source: people.com