Direct answer: Richard Wartenberg was the captain of UPS Flight 2976, which crashed after takeoff from Louisville on November 4, 2025. He had a long military career as a pilot in the Air Force Reserve, including service with the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and retired with the rank of command pilot after accumulating more than 5,000 military flight hours. He resided in Independence, Kentucky since 2005. These details have been reported by multiple outlets in the wake of the incident.
