LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A small plane crashed in a cornfield in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Thursday morning. 

According to Sgt. Carey Huls of the Indiana State Police, the plane set down in a field off of Port Road just before 8:30 a.m.

The aircraft contained two occupants, neither of whom were injured, according to Huls. He said the aircraft was practicing on a "joy flight" and had appeared to have no planned destination.

According to Huls, the registration number of the aircraft is N988CT. Online records by the FAA list that aircraft as a Diamond DA20-C1, registered to Flight Club 502, a club based on Bowman Field.

Tracking information provided by the third-party website FlightAware indicates that that aircraft took off from Bowman Field just after 7 a.m., before flying to an airport in Madison, Indiana, and circling in the pattern area.

Pilots regularly circle in airport traffic patterns to practice touch-and-gos.

The plane crashed Thursday morning near Port Road in Jeffersonville.

The aircraft's track shows it circling an airport several times before heading back in the direction of Bowman Field.

WDRB has obtained radio communications from the third party website LiveATC. Recordings show that, after 8 a.m., the pilot of N988CT contacted Bowman Tower to indicate that he was experiencing mechanical issues. 

"Bowman Tower, niner-eight-eight-charlie-tango -- we're experiencing some engine difficulties," the pilot said.

The flight controller responded by clearing the aircraft to land on Runway 15 at Bowman Field. 

"When you're able, can you describe the engine issue?" the controller asked. "Is it roughness?"

"It's gonna be intermittent. We're going through our check list right now. We've got our fuel pump on. We're flying rich."

A short time later, the pilot replied that he wasn't going to make it to Bowman Field.

"We're gonna have to look for a spot to land on the north side of the river," he said.

"November-nine-eight-eight-charlie-tango, roger," the air traffic controller replied, adding that, "we'll go ahead and alert emergency services for you."

At that point, another aircraft in the air volunteers to fly behind the aircraft in distress -- and the tower gives it directions to do so.

For a few minutes, the tower calls the aircraft in distress, but gets no response. Finally, the other pilot following the aircraft in distress calls the tower:

"Tower not sure if you can hear the Diamond, but I can hear them on my comms," he said. "They said they landed in a cornfield just north of the river."

"They're on the ground and talking to you?" the Bowman Field air tower asked.

"Roger that."

The air traffic controller then advises that, "We do have emergency services on the way. We're on the phone with them right now, and we're glad you guys are safe."

FlightAware shows that the aircraft landed in the field at 8:22 a.m.

A spokesperson for Flight Club 502 did not want to go on camera, but confirmed the plane did belong to the organization. That person also said the people on board -- an adult male instructor and a juvenile female -- weren't rattled. They were just disappointed that the aircraft was damaged. 

A spokesman for Indiana State Police said early indications point to an issue with the aircraft, rather than pilot error.

The FAA will take over the investigation and make the ultimate determination.

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