Columbus airport fuel station closed due to fatal crash

Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.

The Columbus Municipal Airport self-serve fuel station has been shut down as part of an investigation into a fatal plane crash Saturday.

The Cesna crashed about 40 minutes after refueling in Columbus Saturday night, killing three people on board, along with a dog.  According to Indiana State Police, those that died were the pilot, 63-year-old Dr. Louis Cantilena of Potomac, Maryland, his daughter, 31-year-old Dr. Amy Cantilena, also of Potomac, and 65-year-old Dr. Paul Schuda of Arlington, Virginia.

Brian Payne, director of the Columbus Municipal Airport, said that he received word late Saturday night that the crashed plane had taken off from Columbus. A check of records showed that the plane had fueled at the airport at 12:02 p.m. Saturday afternoon, and again at about 8:32 p.m.

The crash happened at about 9:10 p.m. Saturday night in woods behind a home near Oldenburg.

Payne said that after receiving word of the crash, the station was shut down to prevent other planes from fueling there. Samples of the fuel from the Columbus station were taken for analysis at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday and turned over to investigators. He said the fuel station would remain shut down until the quality of the fuel is verified.

Sgt. Stephen Wheeles with the Indiana State Police says that all three people and a dog in the plane died. A second dog survived and turned up a at a nearby home. That dog was taken to the veterinarian for its injuries.

Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.

The single engine plane had left Kansas City, Missouri and was heading to an airport in Frederick, Maryland.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. .