Steve Zago Guelph, ON Obituary, Death: Lost Aviator Coffee Co-Founder Dies in Fergus Plane Crash

Steve Zago, co-founder of Lost Aviator Coffee Company and an experienced airline pilot from Guelph, Ontario, has died following a plane crash near Fergus on Friday, October 9, 2026. His reported death has left colleagues, customers, and members of the local community mourning a man whose professional life brought together his passion for aviation and entrepreneurship.

According to reports from local media and the Ontario Provincial Police, a small aircraft crashed into a field near the intersection of Beatty Line and Wellington Road 17, just outside Fergus, at approximately 10:15 a.m. The aircraft caught fire after the impact, prompting an emergency response. Police later confirmed that both people aboard were pronounced dead at the scene. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the crash.

Zago was known locally as one of the people behind Lost Aviator Coffee Company, a business he established with fellow pilot Adam Wright. The longtime friends turned their shared interests in flying and coffee into a Guelph-based roasting company in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their aviation careers.

The company developed an aviation-inspired identity, offering specialty coffee blends while drawing on the founders’ experiences as career pilots. What began as a business idea grew into a local coffee operation supported by customers in Guelph and beyond.

Zago also spoke publicly about the importance of supporting the community. In 2022, he described the company’s approach to local partnerships as a way of giving back to the people who supported its growth.

His reported death represents a profound loss for those who knew him through aviation, business, and the community surrounding Lost Aviator Coffee. The company’s connection to flying was central to its identity, making news of the crash especially painful for those associated with the business.

The investigation into the Fergus crash remains ongoing, and officials have not yet established its cause. As friends and customers reflect on Zago’s legacy, he will be remembered for helping turn a shared passion into a business that became part of Guelph’s local community.

May Steve Zago rest in peace.