Gary Wolfelt, a 72-year-old pilot, took off from Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport in an experimental aircraft on May 5, bound for Ashland County. But just 40 minutes later, his plane crashed into the woods near Polk. In this episode, we piece together what happened using flight data, 911 calls, and air traffic audio, revealing a troubling mix of severe weather, radio confusion, and a missing emergency signal. Investigators are now working to understand the full picture behind the crash.

Learn more about the Source Media Journalism Fellowship: https://www.richlandsource.com/2025/04/22/introducing-the-source-media-journalism-fellowship/