Dr. Perry Inhofe, Son Of Sen. Jim Inhofe, Killed In Owasso Plane Crash

Perry Inhofe, the son of U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, died in a plane crash in Owasso on Sunday, November 10, 2013.

Sources close to the family confirmed the news Monday afternoon.

Because of the location of the crash and the fire afterward, investigators say its going to take quite a while to figure out exactly what happened.

"We have spent the better part of the day documenting what we can on scene. The aircraft did sustain a post-crash fire after the aircraft did impact the terrain. There was a fire and that was extinguished," said Aaron Sauer, an air safety investigator with the NTSB.

Sauer and Capt. George Brown with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol gave a news briefing on the crash Monday afternoon.

11/10/2013: Related Story: At Least 1 Dead After Twin-Engine Plane Crashes In Owasso Field

The plane crashed at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, into a wooded area near Owasso. Sauer said the pilot was in touch with air traffic control before the crash, but said the plane did not have a device that would record the last minutes leading up to the accident.

"This particular aircraft is not equipped with what you would consider a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder, so none of those black boxes had been recovered," Sauer said.

Witnesses say they saw a twin engine plane circling and then crash into the woods. Those witnesses also say they saw one of the plane's engines were out.

Property records show that the Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 was owned by a company that has the same address as the home of Perry Inhofe. Perry Inhofe was the owner of that company.

News On 6 has confirmed that Inhofe's company bought the plane from a dealer in September 2013. It was last owned by a Utah company.

His signature is on the aircraft registration application filed with the Federal Aviation Administration on September 25, 2013.

Perry Inhofe was an orthopedic surgeon with Central States Orthopedics in Tulsa. According to the company's web site, he finished medical school at Washington University in St. Louis in 1988. He received a degree in biomedical engineering and electrical engineering from Duke University in 1984.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Perry Inhofe had been a commercial pilot since 2009 and a certified flight instructor since February 2012.

Neither Senator Inhofe nor his office has released any statement about the crash. 

Senator Inhofe has just recovered from quadruple bypass surgery in October.

10/8/2013: Related Story: Senator Jim Inhofe Recovering Following Heart Surgery

Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett released a statement on the news of Dr. Inhofe's death Monday afternoon:

"It is with deep sorrow that we give our condolences to Tulsa's former Mayor Jim Inhofe and his family. Dr. Perry Inhofe was a man of great integrity, skilled as a surgeon, and an example for all of us. His love for his family and of his profession will always be remembered. I am asking all Tulsans to remember Dr. Inhofe and keep his dear family in our prayers."

Oklahoma Speaker T.W. Shannon also released a statement offering condolences Monday evening:

"It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I send my prayers and condolences to the Inhofe family," said Speaker Shannon, R-Lawton. "Due to yesterday's tragic events, the Inhofe family has lost a husband and father, and my friend, Sen. Inhofe, has lost a son. Dr. Perry Inhofe was an accomplished orthopedic surgeon and was known as one of the best in the country. Dr. Inhofe was a man who dedicated his life to the healing of others and was a leader in his community and his loss will be felt. May Our Lord give them comfort during this mournful time."

Federal investigators arrived at the scene of the crash on Monday and OHP says it has turned over the investigation to them.

The agency will be on site for several days, examining the wreckage. The investigation looks at the "man, machine and environment."