Former colleagues pay tributes to pilots killed in UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Former colleagues are mourning three pilots killed in the crash of a UPS cargo plane in Louisville, Kentucky, as relatives of a man who was pulled from the wreckage confirm he was among those who died.

Capt. Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt and Capt. Dana Diamond, International Rescue Officer, were on board when the accident occurred Tuesday taking off from UPS Worldport, the company’s global aviation hub located at Muhammad Ali International Airport.

At least 11 other people died, including Matt Sweets, who suffered numerous burns. Many victims have still not been identified.

Todd Inman of the National Transportation Safety Board, who is leading the ongoing investigation, said the plane was cleared to take off when a large fire broke out in the left wing and an engine failed. A recording indicates a repetitive bell sounded in the cockpit for 25 seconds as the pilots tried to control the plane, Inman said Friday.

Dramatic video showed the plane crashing into businesses and bursting into a ball of fire. Footage from phones, cars and security cameras helped investigators piece together what happened from many different angles.

From 1994 to 2016, Wartenberg served with the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, according to a statement from the wing.

The retired lieutenant colonel and former reservist received his commission at the Air Force Officer Training School and, throughout his career, earned qualifications on the C-141 Starlifter, C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III. He had accumulated more than 5,000 hours of military flight time when he retired as a command pilot, the release said.

In 2010, he received the Meritorious Service Medal.

Wartenberg lived in Independence, Ky., south of Cincinnati, according to public records.

He also spent more than two decades as a member of the Ohio Valley Area Porsche Club of America, a group of Porsche vehicle enthusiasts. The club organizes events such as autocrosses and high performance driving courses at regional sports car tracks.

Truitt had been a pilot for UPS since 2021, flying the MD-11 airliner and lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, he was a Captain at SkyWest Airlines and a Flight Instructor at Bode Aviation. He studied Spanish language and literature at the University of New Mexico and graduated in 2006.

John H. Bode, president and CEO of Bode Aviation, called Truitt “a valued friend, a trusted colleague and a model of what it means to be a true professional aviator.”

Truitt “demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence, earning the respect and admiration of all with whom he worked,” Bode wrote in a statement. “Through his diligence, humility and relentless pursuit of mastery, Lee became a senior flight instructor and charter pilot, where his discipline, composure and integrity became the standard by which others measured themselves. His dedication to his craft was matched only by his generosity of spirit – he continually returned to mentor our students and instructors, guiding the next generation of aviators with patience, wisdom and care.”

Diamond previously served as Commissioner and Chief of Emergency Services District No. 1 in Bastrop County, Texas. The emergency services agency said in a tribute on social media that it was “deeply saddened” by his death.

“He ran into danger so we could gain perspective and that kind of dedication to his community leaves a mark on everyone he touches,” the agency said. “He leaves behind not only a legacy of service, but also memories with his fellow firefighters and the community he served. His contribution to the citizens of Bastrop County, Texas is immeasurable.

“May his family find comfort in knowing that he served our community to make it a better place and may we honor his memory.”

Diamond lived in Caldwell, Texas, according to public records.

Matt Sweets, who was seriously burned in the fire and hospitalized, died Thursday afternoon, according to a social media post from his sister, Michelle Sweets.

“For now, please keep his girlfriend Brooke and her two young children in your prayers as well as all of us,” she wrote.

Carrie Ryan, another sister of Matt Sweets, thanked “the brave man who pulled him out of the wreckage and asked him to help.” But she said there was nothing anyone could have done to save her brother. She said her children didn’t deserve this.

“But we will make sure they grow up knowing that their father was the most loyal, kind, caring man – and how lucky they are to have you watching over them,” she wrote.

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Mattise and Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.