WEST GARDINER -- Local rescue agencies were repaid for expenses connected to a Feb. 1 plane crash that killed a woman and her son.

Chief Ken Stackpole of the West Gardiner Fire Department said the town received a check for almost $53,000 from the estate of the late Jeanette Symons, the millionaire entrepreneur from Steamboat Springs, Colo., who was piloting the six-seat Cessna Citation 525 when it went down in bad weather Feb. 1.

Stackpole said the money came from the estate's living trust fund.

Symons' insurer previously rejected paying claims.

Stackpole said the estate lawyers agreed the charges were reasonable and sent the entire amount to West Gardiner, which then cut checks to the other organizations involved in the cleanup.

"It was basically no questions asked," Stackpole said.

In March, Symons' insurance company denied the reimbursement claim, saying it could not determine whether Symons had a current medical certificate or up-to-date specialized training to fly the high- performance aircraft.

Volunteer firefighters and others turned out in force when Symons' jet crashed in a wooded area the evening of Feb. 1, working in sleet and snowy conditions to try to rescue the mother and son.

The rescue operation then became one to recover the bodies and debris.

Much of the rescuers' gear had to be replaced after it was contaminated by jet fuel, which deteriorates flame retardants in the protective gear, fire officials said.

The jet took off from the Augusta State Airport. Symons, 45, and her son had been at Sugarloaf ski area and planned to fly to Lincoln, Neb.

Kelly Amoroso, director of the Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency, said agency's costs included supplying work gloves for firefighters picking up plane parts and gasoline for the generators.

The Kennebec Sheriff's Department incurred more than $3,200 in costs, mostly for overtime for officers who had to secure the crash site around the clock for several days, Amoroso said.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association donated $2,500 toward emergency response costs soon after the crash.

"There were a few headaches involved," Stackpole said. "We're happy we were able to save the taxpayers that added expense."

He said the town will be reimbursed for the $9,100 it had to take from surplus to replace the firefighters' turnout gear. Replacing other gear and additional costs made West Gardiner's total about $29,000.

Betty Adams -- 621- 5631

badams@centralmaine.com