Story sparks words from interviewee

I was verbally assaulted covering a story yesterday.
Just before 5 p.m. yesterday, a photographer and I responded to calls of a plane emergency landing north of Amarillo.
We drove to the intersection of Broadway Road and Loop 335 to see a single-engine, fixed-wing plane resting in the middle of the road – not a sight you see everyday.
The two men flying the plane emergency landed on Broadway after experiencing trouble with the aircraft's fuel line.
After about an hour of questioning from Potter County Sheriff’s deputies and Department of Public Safety troopers, the plane used Broadway to gear up for its takeoff.
I, sadly, didn’t have a change to fully interview either one of the men in the plane. I was interrupted twice by DPS troopers.
Needing more information for today’s story, I returned to the newsroom and looked up the plane on the Federal Aviation Administration’s Web site. I had written down the plane’s N-number, similar to a car's lisence plate number, while on scene.
The FAA listed Pat Stewart of Collinsville, Okla. as the owner. I looked him up online and called.

Stewart told me he had sold the plane that day to one of the two men who was flying back to Palm Springs, Calif.
After I told Stewart that no one was injured and the plane had taken off safely, he question why I was interested in the story and got angry I was questioning him about his plane. He – in a not so polite manner – asked me to not bother reaching one of the gentleman’s home in California.
“Don’t try calling his home in Palm Springs. If you do, I’ll come to Amarillo and kick your ass.” Click. He hung up the phone on me.
In my few years of reporting, I have had people get mad at me. But no one has threatened to beat me up like Mr. Stewart did.