Identified As Pat Napolitano, Sales Manager For Mid Continent Instrument And Avionics

Pat Napolitano, sales manager for Mid Continent Instrument and Avionics, was fatally injured in an accident when his Beech Staggerwing went down near Albuquerque, NM Friday.

Television station KFSN reports that Napolitano, 53, was returning from a business trip to Kansas when the plane went down. Central Valley Aviation Association representative Morris Garcia told the station that there was no indication of a post-impact fire, but the accident is still under investigation.

Garcia said that the accident appeared to be a controlled descent.

Napolitano was well known in the Fresno aviation community. His family said he was instrumental in organizing flyovers for the city's Veterans' parade.

In a news release, CAP spokesman John Graham said that the wreckage was located by an Air Force Rescue helicopter based in Kirtland AFB. “Air traffic control lost radar contact with the aircraft, a Beechcraft Staggerwing biplane, when it was near Ribera,” the release said.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: Original report