MO Pilot Ed Ruhbeck ID’d As Victim In Tuesday Chesterfield Fatal Plane Crash

CHESTERFIELD, MO. (THECOUNT) — Edward Ruhbeck, a cargo pilot and former FAA air traffic controller, was killed early Tuesday morning when his twin-engine plane crashed and burst into flames at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Missouri, according to St. Louis County Police and the National Transportation Safety Board. Ruhbeck was 65.

The crash occurred just after midnight on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the east end of the south runway at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, located at 18270 Edison Avenue in Chesterfield. St. Louis County Police were notified of a possible downed aircraft just after 3 a.m., at which point officers from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport Detail launched a search and located the crash site approximately 1,500 feet short of the runway. The airport’s control tower is unstaffed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., though pilots may still depart and land during those hours.

According to the FAA and NTSB, Ruhbeck departed Spirit of St. Louis Airport at approximately 12:20 a.m. aboard an Aero Commander 500B twin-engine piston aircraft operating as a Part 135 commercial cargo flight. The flight was bound for the Kansas City area. Within moments of takeoff, the aircraft experienced difficulties and Ruhbeck attempted an emergency return to the airport. Security video obtained by FOX 2 News shows the plane losing altitude almost immediately after takeoff, attempting to loop back toward the runway before crashing and bursting into flames. Ruhbeck was pronounced dead at the scene. No other occupants were aboard the aircraft.

The aircraft was operated by Central Air Southwest, a Kansas City-based cargo charter company. In a statement, company president and director of operations Andrew Towner said the company was aware of the fatal crash and was cooperating fully with investigators to determine the cause. Ruhbeck had reportedly mentioned to neighbors that the company had recently been acquired by another firm.

According to NTSB records, the crash marks the fourth fatal incident involving Central Air Southwest aircraft since 2005, all involving Aero Commander 500B aircraft. Previous crashes linked to the company occurred in 2014 in Chicago, Illinois; 2008 in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and 2005 in Gaylord, Michigan.

Dave Schubert, deputy director of Spirit of St. Louis Airport, commended Ruhbeck’s actions in the final moments of the flight, saying the pilot did everything he could and did an excellent job landing where he did with no further loss of life or property. Witness Diana Krazer, who observed the crash, told 5 On Your Side that the plane did not look right. “I had a gut feeling because it just didn’t look right,” she said.

Ruhbeck resided at the 11300 block of Larimore Road in the Spanish Lake community of unincorporated St. Louis County, Missouri. Federal records indicate he previously worked as an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration. Neighbors described him as a quiet, kind man who was deeply passionate about aviation. Neighbor James Pfaffenback, who knew Ruhbeck since the 1980s, expressed his condolences to the family. Ruhbeck is survived by children.

Spirit of St. Louis Airport’s largest runway remained closed Tuesday as the NTSB investigation continued. The FAA, NTSB, St. Louis County Police, and Chesterfield Police Department crime scene investigators all worked the scene.

Spirit of St. Louis Airport is a general aviation and cargo facility located in Chesterfield in western St. Louis County, approximately 25 miles west of downtown St. Louis. The airport serves as a hub for cargo, charter, and private aviation operations in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area and is one of the busiest general aviation airports in Missouri. It is situated near the interchange of Interstate 64 and Highway 40 in western Chesterfield, bordered by the communities of Wildwood, Ballwin, and Maryland Heights.

Chesterfield is an affluent western suburb of St. Louis with a population of approximately 47,000 residents. The city is located in St. Louis County and is served by Interstate 64/US 40 and Missouri Route 340. The greater St. Louis metropolitan area has a combined population of approximately 2.8 million residents and spans both Missouri and Illinois across the Mississippi River.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. No probable cause determination has been made. The investigation is ongoing.

Crash scene location — Spirit of St. Louis Airport, 18270 Edison Avenue, Chesterfield, Missouri: View on Google Maps

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