Man killed in plane taken from Highland County airport

Associated Press

HILLSBORO, Ohio

A man who the Ohio State Highway Patrol says apparently took a plane from southwest Ohio’s Highland County airport was killed when the plane crashed.

The patrol said 46-year-old John Winkleman of Hillsboro was alone on the single-engine Cessna 172 that crashed at the end of an airport runway about 7 a.m. Friday.

Patrol officials say the county sheriff’s department alerted them about 2 a.m. that Winkleman allegedly took a plane from the airport and was possibly suicidal.

A sheriff’s department dispatcher says Winkleman took the plane without getting the owner’s permission, but it was not reported stolen. The dispatcher could not say whether Winkleman was described as possibly suicidal.

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