Aerostar Pilot Fatally Injured In The Accident

The employee who reportedly misfueled a Piper Aerostar 602P in Indiana in October had reportedly been on the job only six weeks, according to media reports.

Tampa News Chanel 8 found that, according to Beth Copeland, the attorney for the City of Kokomo, IN, the technician had been hired by the city on August 26th. He is a college student, and he listed his experience as jobs at a YMCA and Burger King, but had no previous jobs in the aviation field. The accident occurred October 5.

The plane went down shortly after takeoff from Kokomo Municipal Airport.

According to the NTSB preliminary report, the technician said he asked the pilot twice if he wanted jet fuel in the airplane. The technician said the pilot, Tampa Bay, FL-area plastic surgeon Dr. Daniel Greenwald said "yes" both times.

The NTSB indicated that the technician had difficulty fueling the plane due to the size of the nozzle used to deliver the fuel.

An FAA advisory circular cited by News Channel 8 indicates that the agency can require specific training for fueling at major airports, but can only make recommendations at smaller facilities like Kokomo, IN.

The investigation is ongoing.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: Source report