This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N519EAFFF LLC
Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances in a wooded area, Polk, Ohio.
Date: 5-May-25
Time: 21:43:00Z
Regis#: N519EA
Aircraft Make: EXPRESS AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Model: EXPRESS 2000 FT
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
FAA FSDO: CLEVELAND FSDO
- History of Flight:
According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast data (figure 1), at about 1856 local time, the airplane departed rumway 6L at KBKL and was seen on a climbing right turn to an inflight cruising altitude of 2500 ft and tracking southeast. At about 1910 LT, the airplane conducted a right turn towards the west and began a gradual climb to an altitude of about 4800 ft. At about 1918 LT, the airplane was seen on a descent to 3000 ft. At 1919:22 LT, the airplane turned right and climbed to an altitude of 3425 ft. About 35 seconds later, the airplane turned left and was tracking west again. For the next 4 minutes, the airplane was observed at 3000 ft and still flying west. At about 1925:33, the airplane started a right turn towards the north, the airplane continued turning right, and for the next nine minutes, the airplane was observed in a series of climbs and descents with corresponding fluctuations in its observed groundspeed, which varied in magnitude (figure 2), the airplane’s altitude varied between about 1900 ft and about 3000 ft. At about 1034, the airplane exited this flight path and was observed on a climb to about 3900 ft at a groundspeed of 80 kts, after which it descended 3375 ft and accelerated to 184 kts. A few seconds later, the airplane entered a second climb to 4000 ft which was followed by a descent to 3600 ft. At about 1937:47, the airplane entered a left turn, which was followed by an out of control spiral. The last ADS-B return was recorded at 1937:07, the airplane was at 2875 ft, 65 knots groundspeed, and descending -5000 fpm (figure 3).
Figure 2: Erratic Flight Path Section
Figure 3: End of Track
According to FAA records, the 72-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate, with a most recent issue date of 10/12/2022, and a rating for airplane single engine land and rotorcraft/helicopter certificate. The pilot was not instrument-rated. His most recent FAA BasicMed Course was dated 7/4/2024, with a note stating he must wear corrective lenses and must use hearing amplification.
The pilot held two "Repairman Experimental Aircraft Builder" certificates, one for a "Piche-wolfelt, Model E-90, Serial Number 5136, Certification Date: 06 Feb 1996.", and the accident aircraft, "Fff, Llc, Model Express 2000, Serial Number 0001, Certification Date: 22 Jun 2017."
- Aircraft Info:
The composite construction accident aircraft, MSN 0001, was a four-place, low-wing, tricycle landing gear monoplane. It was powered by a Continental IO-550 engine, rated at 300 hp at 2,800 rpm.
The airplane can be flown in VFR day/night and IFR day/night if the required equipment is installed.
- Weather:
The recorded weather at KMFD, 18 miles west of the accident site, at 1928 (about 11 minutes before the accident), included: winds 170 at 7 knots (variable between 130 and 220), 1.25 miles visibility, few clouds at 800 ft AGL, a broken layer at 3300 ft AGL, an overcast layer (OVC) 4700ft AGL, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury. There were reports of heavy thunderstorms, rain, mist and distant lightning at the time.
The recorded weather at KMFD, at 1943 (about 4 minutes after the accident), included: winds 200 at 13 knots, gusting 22 knots, 2 miles visibility, few clouds at 600 ft AGL, a broken layer at 2000 ft AGL, an overcast layer (OVC) 3500ft AGL, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury. There were reports of heavy thunderstorms, rain, mist and distant lightning at the time.
The recorded weather at KBJJ, 16 miles east of the accident site, at 1933 (about 6 minutes before the accident), included: winds 250 at 14 knots, 2 miles visibility, an overcast layer (OVC) 3100ft AGL, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. There were reports of heavy thunderstorms, rain, mist and distant lightning at the time.
The recorded weather at KBJJ, at 1943 (about 4 minutes after the accident), included: winds 270 at 15 knots, gusting 21 knots, 4 miles visibility, an overcast layer (OVC) 4000ft AGL, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. There were reports of thunderstorms, rain, mist and distant lightning at the time.
According to the Area Forecast Discussion, issued by the National Weather Service for the Cleveland Ohio area on 457 PM EDT Monday May 5 2025:
.SYNOPSIS...
Upper level low pressure will remain over the region on Tuesday then
depart to the east on Wednesday. A cold front will settle south
across the area Wednesday night. High pressure will build south
across the Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley Thursday through
Saturday.
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
Upper level low continues to spin over the Ohio Valley with an
inverted surface trough extending from West Virginia to Northeast
Ohio. We had one round of thunderstorms already this afternoon move
out of Pennsylvania across northeast Ohio. A more vigorous round of
thunderstorms are possible through the evening as a shortwave
rotates north around the upper low and cold pool pivots north.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for a portion of Central
and Eastern Ohio until 9 PM tonight. Given the proximity to the cold
pool aloft and low freezing levels, large hail is the primary
concern with thunderstorms. Damaging winds remain a concern as well
and some storms have also exhibited some weak rotation.
Temperatures are in the low 70s across east central Ohio but
drop off quickly to the north and west. The watch does not
extend to the lakeshore given the lower instability and some CIN
across the northern tier. However dewpoints have also mixed out
some across east central Ohio and ML CAPE only peaks around 500
J/kg at 4 PM. Effective bulk shear of 30-40 knots will help to
make up for what we lack in instability to maintain organized
convection. So far we have received just a couple hail reports
ranging from half inch to an inch. The other concern for this
evening is heavy rain as storms have been producing efficient
rainfall with training possible. Portions of Northeast Ohio and
Northwest Pennsylvania have had between 1 to 2 inches of rain
between last night and this afternoon.
Showers and thunderstorms will generally dissipate and exit north by
midnight. The exception to this will be in NW Ohio where moisture
continues to wrap back around the western side of upper level low.
Rain is expected overnight then wraps east across the area again
through the day on Tuesday. This will bring another quarter to a
half inch of rain especially across the southern half of the
forecast area but showers are likely everywhere. Tuesday will be
cooler given the coverage of showers and clouds. Finally on Tuesday
night the upper level low shifts east into New York and
Pennsylvania. Showers will end from west to east and
conditions will start to dry out.
.AVIATION /18Z Monday THROUGH Saturday/...
Scattered thunderstorms have started to develop across
Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania this afternoon with a
cluster near YNG at 18Z and a few isolated storms in the
vicinity of CLE/CAK initially. Instability is fairly modest
with ML CAPE still under 500 J/kg. Scattered thunderstorms will
continue to move north northwest late this afternoon with a
better organized area of thunderstorms expected between 21Z-02Z
as a shortwave rotates northwest around the upper low over the
Ohio Valley with deeper moisture returning aloft.
Most terminals are VFR this afternoon aside from a patch of low
stratus holding on at CLE which should mix out through 19Z. Will
need to update TAFs through the afternoon to better pinpoint
periods of thunderstorms. Brief heavy rain and IFR conditions
are possible with thunderstorms this afternoon. There is also a
chance of severe weather with isolated wind gusts to 50 knots,
hail to around 1" in diameter.
Precipitation will tend to depart towards 04Z except at TOL/
FDY where rain may linger overnight where moisture wraps all the
way around the back side of the upper low. Elsewhere, lingering
low level moisture will result in stratus and some reduced
visibilities filling in overnight.
Outlook...Periodic showers with isolated thunderstorms and
non-VFR conditions are expected through Tuesday night. MVFR
ceilings may linger into Wednesday before scattering out. Non-
VFR ceilings will also accompany a cold front Wed night into
Thursday morning.- Sources:
- https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a68343&lat=40.951&lon=-82.167&zoom=12.7&showTrace=2025-05-05&leg=1×tamp=1746488348
- https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=CLE&issuedby=CLE&product=AFD&format=CI&version=6&highlight=off&glossary=1
- https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N519EA/history/20250505/2253Z/KBKL/L%2040.93455%20-82.19746
ASHLAND COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) - A 72-year-old man died Monday evening after crashing his single-engine plane in Jackson Township.
The crash happened at 7:42 p.m. in a wooded area near State Route 89 and Township Road 902.
Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) troopers said the pilot was the only person on board the Express 2000 FT.
He has been identified as Gary Wolfelt, of West Lafayette, Indiana.
Ashland County Sheriff deputies, Polk Jackson Perry Firefighters, an official from the Ashland County Coroner’s office, and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also responded to the crash scene.
OSHP couldn’t determine if weather was a factor, but there were thunderstorms in Northeast Ohio around the time of the crash.
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