Authorities in Sebring, Florida, have released the identities of the two people involved in the Jan. 25 crash of a Remos GX at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo.
The passenger, who was killed in the crash, has been identified as Steven Fletcher of Peterborough, United Kingdom. The pilot has been identified as Mike Kostelac of Earlysville, Virginia. As of Jan. 27, Kostelac was listed in stable condition at a Tampa-area hospital.
The Remos took off at 7:35 a.m. on Jan. 25, the second in a flight of two. The purpose of the flight was to obtain air-to-air photographs of the Remos. Fletcher was on assignment for Today’s Pilot, a magazine based in the United Kingdom. According to witnesses, the second airplane appeared to go out of control shortly after takeoff. One wing dropped and the airplane hit the ground.
Airport-based emergency crews were on the scene in a matter of minutes.
The first Remos returned for landing immediately after the crash.
The Remos is a German-built, high-wing Light Sport Aircraft. Remos was one of 170 exhibitors at Expo. The Remos exhibit was closed for the remainder of the show.
Prior to the accident, demonstration flights had been using a part of runway 14/32 that was off-limits to other traffic. After the crash, demo flights utilized the airport’s main runway, 18/36.
Weather at the time of the crash was reported as clear with no wind.
The wreckage was left in place so that the NTSB and FAA could investigate the accident.
For more information: Remos.com, FAA.gov/data_statistics/accident_incident/preliminary_data.
Please visit this website page for information on the Steve Fletcher Family Fund, thank you.