Sat Nov 07 2009
Robert Baranaskas, a former owner of Ancient Age distillery - which became Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1992 - was killed Sunday when his World War II-era fighter plane crashed off Long Island.
The 61-year-old seasoned aviator was practicing for an upcoming air show when his plane went down, according to officials.
His body has not been recovered.
The National Transportation Safety Board expects to have a preliminary report within 10 days.
Spokeswoman Bridget Serchak said Monday investigators are "looking at everything ... man, machine and environment" to determine why the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk plummeted into the Atlantic Ocean near Shirley, N.Y.
Suffolk County Police Detective Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick says divers have found only small pieces of the plane, indicating it broke up on impact.
The pilot's lawyer, Kenneth Savin, says Baranaskas flew the plane earlier that day with no problems.
Baranaskas was founder and chairman of The Fairoaks Group, a high-end boutique designer and builder of residential/commercial properties.
He was previously president of Nabisco Beverage Group's largest division, The Fleischmann Distilling Company.
He left Nabisco to acquire the Ancient Age Distilling Company, which he sold in 1992. While he owned the distillery, he commuted to Frankfort from New York every other week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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