BEVERLY — More than 150 people came out in the searing heat yesterday afternoon to pay tribute to flight instructor Michael Costales near the spot where he was killed last week on the runway at Beverly Municipal Airport.
With part of the airport shut down and the skies unusually quiet, Costales' family, friends and co-workers gathered in a semi-circle around a wreath of yellow, orange and red flowers and spoke about his passion for flying, scuba diving, dancing and eating.
"Michael was a man of many friends, many accomplishments and many passions," said Michael Wright, who scuba dived with Costales. "Whatever he did, he did with his whole heart."
The 30-year-old Costales, who lived in Weymouth, died Friday when he was struck by the propeller of his plane after getting out to assist the plane in front of him with a stuck canopy.
Federal officials are investigating what happened. The Essex County district attorney's office has said Costales' death appeared to be an accident.
Airport officials had expected 25 or 30 people to show up for yesterday's wreath-laying. Instead, about 75 vehicles drove in a slow procession onto an airport taxi lane, and some people walked out to the ceremony, held in the "run-up" area where the two planes had been waiting Friday for clearance to take off.
Beverly Airport Commission Chairman Paul Vitale asked for a moment of silence, then offered anyone in the crowd a chance to speak. Nine people stepped forward, all of whom spoke of Costales' determination to tackle any activity with zeal.
When he took up scuba diving, he became a certified instructor and an experienced cave diver. He flew gliders, played the piano, skied, and was a Latin and ballroom dancer.
Costales' sister, Melissa Cochrane, said her younger brother hung model airplanes from his bedroom ceiling as a youngster. He went to college to study architecture but left to pursue his real passion of flying.
He learned to fly at age 20 and became an instructor at the Beverly Flight Center, located at the airport, a year later.
"He had an aptitude for flying that I have seen in no one since," said Dennis Silverio, a fellow instructor at Beverly Flight Center. "He was the only human being I never had a harsh word with. I'd want him for a son if I had one."
One of Costales' students, Steve Clouse of Salem, recalled how Costales calmed him down on a recent flight over Plum Island.
"The last thing he said to me was not to worry, I would do great things," Clouse said.
Frank Keating said Costales once saved his life when they were scuba diving together, as they often did as members of the Boston Scuba Academy.
"I was so comfortable underwater with Mike because he knew exactly what to do," Keating said.
In addition to his sister, Costales' mother and brother-in-law attended the service. Brother Tim Paul, a teacher at St. John's Prep who runs the school's aviation club, said a prayer for Costales. The service was also attended by Mayor Bill Scanlon and Danvers state Rep. Ted Speliotis.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by e-mail at pleighton@salemnews.com.
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