STOWE, Vt. (WCAX) – A Vermont man and career UPS pilot offers new insight into a deadly Kentucky cargo jet explosion, and reveals his connection to one of the victims.
Joe Moon of Stowe hung up his wings in 2022 after decades of flying UPS cargo internationally.
“I don’t miss the schedules, but I miss the flying,” he said.
For Moon, Tuesday’s tragic plane crash in Louisville hits close to home.
“When you do know someone in it pretty well, it really is like that hits even worse,” he said.
Moon met the captain of the crashed plane a few times in passing. The relief officer captain, Dana Diamond, was someone he had flown with multiple times in his early years with UPS.
“He was a great guy, really smart, great pilot, so it’s really a shame,” Moon said.
He said if you were in Diamond’s plane, the landing was always smooth.
“I laughed at him one time and I said, ‘I don’t know how you do that because you’re the only one I’ve flown with that doesn’t mess up at least once.’ And he chuckled and he goes, ‘Well, I’m good’ or made a smart aleck remark,” Moon said.
He called the crash one in a million. Based on his expertise, he said there’s nothing the pilots could have done differently.
Reporter Abigail Saxe: Is it possible that this plane could have been in perfect tiptop condition or do you think that something must have gone wrong before?
Joe Moon: Boy, like I said, multiple failures like this is really unusual.
We won’t know fully what happened in Louisville until the National Transportation Safety Board releases its full report. These investigations can take more than a year.
Moon’s thoughts are with the crews’ families and anyone else impacted by the tragedy.
