REST IN PEACE: Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Captain Dana Diamond — the three pilots who tragically lost their lives in the heartbreaking UPS plane crash in Louisville.

Rest In Peace: A Tribute to Three Pilots Taken Too Soon

On November 4, 2025, UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD‑11F cargo jet bound for Honolulu, crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. In the seconds after departure, the aircraft suffered a catastrophic separation of its left engine and pylon, igniting a fire and leading to a catastrophic loss of control. The plane remained briefly airborne — for as long as 37 seconds — before it impacted an industrial area south of the runway, killing all three crew members on board and numerous people on the ground.

Among those on board were three highly experienced, dedicated pilots who devoted their lives to aviation and to serving others: Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond. Their deaths — wasted in a moment of tragedy — have left an enduring void that rippled from Louisville to their hometowns and to the broader aviation community.

Captain Richard Wartenberg (57)