Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:33:07 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imo-m20.mx.aol.com ([64.12.137.1] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2b4) with ESMTP id 120374 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 02 Jun 2004 09:31:21 -0400 Received: from VTAILJEFF@aol.com by imo-m20.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v37_r2.6.) id q.1e8.21fc6b3a (3964) for ; Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:30:41 -0400 (EDT) From: VTAILJEFF@aol.com X-Original-Message-ID: <1e8.21fc6b3a.2def3080@aol.com> X-Original-Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:30:40 EDT Subject: Lancair Crash X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="-----------------------------1086183040" X-Mailer: 9.0 for Windows sub 5110 -------------------------------1086183040 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lancair Down in Michigan Three Dead The investigation continued Tuesday into the Memorial Day crash of a Lancair IV-P near Vermontville Township (MI). All three people on board, including a noted Canadian biochemist, were killed. WOOD-TV reports the aircraft crashed on the property of a former pilot, Roger Gardner, who said he witnessed the Lancair's final moments. The Lancair, he said, appeared to have entered a flat spin seconds before impacting the ground. "He didn't have enough time to correct it...it happened so fast...it was over with...didn't last long," he told WOOD. Robert Matheson was working in his barn near the crash site when he saw the plane flying overhead. "I heard an engine race quite fast," he told reporters. "When I looked out, I saw the plane trying to go up farther in the air. The next thing I know, it fell below the trees." The victims were identified as pilot Allen Ward, 52, of Ypsilanti (MI), 23-year old Jeffrey Chen, of Milford (MI) and Roger Hertz, 36, of Burlington, Ontario. The Eaton County (MI) Sheriff's Office said the aircraft was on a flight from Ypsilanti to Billings (MT) when it went down at around 2:00 pm local time. Ward's company, Ward Synthesis, was the registered owner of the aircraft. Ward was president of the company, which had been spun off from the University of Michigan. The company develops technology related to flat-screen video displays. The Canadian passenger, Hertz, was the director of research and development for Thermo Electron. The company builds laboratory systems for pharmaceutical and biotech firms. Flags at Thermo's headquarters in Burlington, Ontario, flew at half-mast Tuesday. "It was a definite shock to everybody here because he's been working for this company for 10 years plus, and he started his career here," said a company spokeswoman, who wouldn't give her name. "We saw him grow from being an engineer to going right up the ranks and leading the team." FAA Preliminary Accident Report IDENTIFICATION Regis#: 707SH Make/Model: LANC Description: LANCAIR 4P Date: 05/31/2004 Time: 1800 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N Damage: Destroyed LOCATION City: GRAND RAPIDS State: MI Country: US DESCRIPTION ACFT AFTER REPORTED UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, CRASHED, THREE PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED, 20 SE OF GRAND RAPIDS, VERMONTVILLE, MI INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0 # Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Pass: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: WEATHER: GRR 311756Z 25024G29KT 10SM BKN028TCU BKN060 BKN160 21/13 A2943 OTHER DATA Activity: Unknown Phase: Cruise Operation: General Aviation Departed: YPSILANTI, MI Dep Date: 05/31/2004 Dep. Time: 1730 Destination: BILLINGS, MT Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: Y Last Radio Cont: 20SE GRAND RAPIDS, MI Last Clearance: MAINTAIN 120 BY LAN FAA FSDO: GRAND RAPIDS, MI (GL09) Entry date: 06/01/2004 FMI: www.ntsb.gov -------------------------------1086183040 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Lancair Down in Michigan
Three Dead

The investigation continue= d Tuesday
into the Memorial Day crash of a Lancair IV-P near Vermontvill= e
Township (MI). All three people on board, including a noted
Canadi= an biochemist, were killed.

WOOD-TV reports the aircraft crashed on=20= the property of a former
pilot, Roger Gardner, who said he witnessed the= Lancair's final
moments.

The Lancair, he said, appeared to have= entered a flat spin
seconds before impacting the ground. "He didn't hav= e enough time to
correct it...it happened so fast...it was over with...d= idn't last
long," he told WOOD.

Robert Matheson was working in h= is barn near the crash site when
he saw the plane flying overhead.
<= BR>"I heard an engine race quite fast," he told reporters. "When I
looke= d out, I saw the plane trying to go up farther in the air. The
next thin= g I know, it fell below the trees."

The victims were identified as p= ilot Allen Ward, 52, of Ypsilanti
(MI), 23-year old Jeffrey Chen, of Mil= ford (MI) and Roger Hertz,
36, of Burlington, Ontario.

The Eaton= County (MI) Sheriff's Office said the aircraft was on
a flight from Yps= ilanti to Billings (MT) when it went down at
around 2:00 pm local time.=20=

Ward's company, Ward Synthesis, was the registered owner of the
= aircraft. Ward was president of the company, which had been spun
off fro= m the University of Michigan. The company develops
technology related to= flat-screen video displays.

The Canadian passenger, Hertz, was the=20= director of research and
development for Thermo Electron. The company bu= ilds laboratory
systems for pharmaceutical and biotech firms. Flags at T= hermo's
headquarters in Burlington, Ontario, flew at half-mast Tuesday.=20=

"It was a definite shock to everybody here because he's been
wor= king for this company for 10 years plus, and he started his
career here,= " said a company spokeswoman, who wouldn't give her
name. "We saw him gr= ow from being an engineer to going right up the
ranks and leading the te= am."
FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#:=20= 707SH Make/Model: LANC
Description: LANCAIR 4P
Date: 05/31/2004 Time= : 1800

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
None Mid Air: N Miss= ing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: GRAND RAPIDS
Sta= te: MI Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT AFTER REPORTED UNABLE TO MAI= NTAIN ALTITUDE, CRASHED,
THREE PERSONS ON
BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED= AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED, 20 SE
OF GRAND
RAPIDS, VERMONTVILLE, MI=

INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew:
1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0
= Min: 0 Unk:
#
Pass: 2 Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min: 0 Unk:
#
Grnd:=20= Fat: 0
Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: GRR 311756Z 25024G29KT 10SM B= KN028TCU BKN060 BKN160
21/13 A2943



OTHER DATA
Activi= ty: Unknown Phase: Cruise
Operation: General Aviation

Departed:=20= YPSILANTI,
MI Dep Date:
05/31/2004 Dep. Time: 1730
Destination:=20= BILLINGS, MT
Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: Y
Last Radio Cont: 20SE GRAN= D RAPIDS, MI
Last Clearance: MAINTAIN 120 BY LAN

FAA FSDO: GRAND= RAPIDS, MI
(GL09) Entry date:
06/01/2004
FMI: www.ntsb.gov -------------------------------1086183040--