Virginia crash pilot remembered for aviation, military and fiscal passions
CARMEL, Ind (WISH) – As investigators look for a cause in a deadly plane crash, a Hamilton County pilot is being remembered for his aviation, military and fiscal passions.
Virginia State Police said William Hamerstadt, 64 of Carmel, piloted a plane that crashed over the weekend in Virginia, killing all six on board. A crash that authorities are still investigating.
Hamerstadt’s family is looking for answers. 24-Hour News 8 spoke with his wife Monday.
She appeared to be heartbroken, and in shock. She said Hamerstadt leaves behind three children.
A Marine Corps sticker can be found on the mailbox of his Carmel home. His wife pointed us to his Linked In social media page.
There it shows he served the Marine Corps for 33 years. It also shows he was in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001.
The U.S. Marine Corps said Hamerstadt was a retired colonel, but could not verify the information from his social media account.
His love for military appears to be more than service. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show Hamerstadt owned a 1972 Scottish Bulldog.
Local aviation experts say he would showcase the warplane at airshows. Hamerstadt did not own the plane he was flying this weekend.
FAA records show he had a commercial pilot license that was issued nearly a decade ago. The license allows him to fly both a single, and double engine plane. Virginia State Police said the plane he was flying was a twin-engine.
Hamerstadt was also known in Hamilton County for helping people with their finances. He worked at Northwestern Mutual on East 96th Street in Carmel.
Co-workers described him as a man that anyone in the building would have good things to say about. His social media account shows he worked there for 33 years.
Investigators said an answer into the crash could come by next week, but typically it takes up to 18 months to investigate.