Tragic Plane Crash

Morgan Hill
– A member of a well-known South County family was killed in a
small plane crash just north of Los Banos, apparently after going
up for what was to be a short flight while his dog waited in his
truck.
Morgan Hill – A member of a well-known South County family was killed in a small plane crash just north of Los Banos, apparently after going up for what was to be a short flight while his dog waited in his truck.

Michael Aiello, 28, a former Morgan Hill resident, who recently moved to Los Banos, was killed Friday morning along with the pilot, Grant Lindeman, 31, a resident of Winters. Aiello was the production manager for Uesugi Farms in San Martin, owned by his parents, Joe and Katie Aiello.

Merced County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Barile said the Federal Aviation Association and the Federal Transportation Bureau are investigating, but it could be six weeks before they know if the crash was the result of pilot error or mechanical problems.

Family and friends of Michael remember him as a vibrant personality.

“He was one of the most colorful and generous and exciting and unique people that I have ever known, that most of us will ever know,” said Pete Aiello, Michael’s older brother. “Those of us who have known him, particularly those who have known him all of his 28 years, will be forever blessed. He was a huge part of so many lives.”

Pete Aiello said his brother was with a friend, Lindeman, who had come for a visit from Winters. The family didn’t realize Michael was missing until he failed to show up for an early appointment Friday morning. 

“They found my brother’s truck at the airport, with the keys inside, the radio on, and his dog, Kirby, inside waiting for him,” Pete said.

Apparently, Lindeman had flown into Los Banos for the evening, he said, and he and Michael went up for what was supposed to be a short flight.

“I don’t think Michael knew he (Lideman) was coming,” Pete said. “Maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing.”

No flight plan was filed, and Pete said Michael would never leave Kirby for more than a few minutes.

Michael was supposed to meet Friday morning with a Uesugi Farms employee at the 80 acres of bell peppers the farm has in the Los Banos area, Pete said. 

“They were right in the middle of the planting, and Michael was always there from the beginning to the end of something like that, so when he didn’t show up the next morning, we knew there was something wrong.”

Deputy Barile said the wreckage was found in the Merced County wetlands just north of Los Banos. The plane Lindeman was flying, a 1948 single-engine Navion, took off from the Los Banos airport just after midnight Friday morning, according to Barile. The Civil Air Patrol located a crash site about 3am, but the wetlands area is very difficult to access except on foot. Aiello’s body was located about 7pm Friday, 16 hours after the crash was sighted. Lindeman’s body was located three hours later, and the scene was secured overnight. Deputies remained on the scene with the victims overnight, Barile said. 

The wreckage was removed from the scene and transported to Sacramento for investigation, he added.

The family is holding a non-denominational celebration of Michael’s life Thursday at 1pm at the Chiala mansion, 2880 Tennant Ave.

Family friend Douglas Rodrigues said there could be as many as 300 people at the service.

“He just had so many friends, he was the kind of person people liked to be around,” he said.

Longtime friend Russ Bonino, of LJB Farms, said he grew up with Michael and had known him since he was about 8 years old.

“He was full of energy, full of life,” he said. “He really had tons of friends. Everyone he met liked him, it would have been very hard to dislike him. He always lived life very fully.”

A Live Oak High graduate, Michael attended Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo and later became production manager for his family’s farm. He had close-knit relationships with other agricultural families in the area, Pete Aiello said. Michael is survived by his parents and brother, and many, many friends, his family said.

A scholarship for high school students wanting to pursue a career in agriculture has been set up in Michael’s name, the Michael Aiello Memorial Agricultural Scholarship. Anyone interested in contributing can make a check payable to the scholarship and send it in care of Uesugi Farms, 1020 State Highway 25, Gilroy, CA 95020.