University of South Carolina Libraries
Investigators sa cause of celebril By The Associated Press Federal investigators blame the pilot and a llight service specialist on the ground for a crash that killed seven members of Reba McEntire's band and cite pilot error in the crash that killed blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. In separate reports Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board released its findings on the probable causes of the two show business-related crashes. The NTSB found that "improper planning-decision" by the aircraft's pilot was the main probable cause of the 1990 crash near East Troy, Wis., where Vaughan and four other people died. Contributing to the helicopter's crash into the side of a manmade ski hill were "darkness, fog, haze and rising terrain," agency spokesman Fed Lopatkiewicz said. The 35-year-old Vaughan, a Grammy Award-winning musician, died on Aug. 27, 1990, after the Bell - * r' -i i - f* a? A i _: \ < ii zuo copier carrying live peopie icu uie /\ipine vaiiey Music Theater, an open-air concert facility, and crashed. The NTSB took more than two years to complete its investigation into the crash of the craft, owned by Omnitlight Helicopters Inc. of Dallas. Thomas Demetrio, a Chicago lawyer representing Vaughan's estate, said he was not surprised by the NTSB findings. Fn afl mm AT PARISIAN, WE STOCK UP ON SMART BASICS AND OFFER THEM AT QREAT PRICES EVERY DAY, ALL SEASON LONOI priced to assure you ? V8)ll6every day |H WHEN YOU SEE THESE WORDS AND A 95 CENT PRICE ENDINQ, YOU'LL KNOW YOU'RE QETTINQ THE MOST QUALITY FOR YOUR MONEY. Step-by-step Nursing senior Pamela Schultz enjoys the recent ^ cool temperatures near the Thomas Cooper Iis.enecnon root. j Stephanie Ncwlin/The Gamecock * ? ^ t 1 ! till! i t 1 _ y numan error ty flying deaths Papers he filed in a July lawsuit lor the estate contend that the helicopter charter company should have known that the weather "precluded safe flying conditions." John Neilson, Omniflight general manager, declined to comment on the NTSB report because he had not seen it and because of the pending lawsuit. In the McEntire band crash, the NTSB said the probable causes were improper planning by the pilot, the pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude and clearance over mountainous terrain and the co-pilot's fail- j ure to adequately monitor the progress of the flight. , The agency's report also said insufficient information on terrain was provided by a Federal Aviation : Administration flight service specialist before the March 16, 1991, crash near San Diego. All 10 people aboard the twin-engine Hawker Siddeley aircraft died in the fiery crash atop Otay Mountain, including McEntire's tour manager, Jim . Hammon, pilot Don Holms and co-pilot Chris Hollinger. McEntire was not aboard because she was taking a commercial flight the next day. An FAA transcript of conversations between Holms and the flight service specialist, who has not been identified, shows that neither mentioned die mountain. Shortly before takeoff. Holms asked if he could fly northeast below 3,000 feet. The flight service special- i ist, whose job is to pass routine information between pilots and air traffic controllers, responded, "That'll be fine," and did not tell Holms about the mountain. im scholarly weeks fordable ensemb ' ^ .v c' * v "" :<, ^r- * p| $ v " | p^g| ; V* . , \ 1! "-VVs' ^;i : 'Bg8gg888g$g8^g^ . i ;/iT :; xv < : V : P^Mpi^ ,. |j:;:j < ' ' V * ' _ > - ,, > ; - >$: * : Former gu to kidnappi By The Associated Press "'' p A former Exxon security guard pleaded guilty to kidnapping and y elony murder charges Tuesday in he fatal abduction of company ex- ^ jcutive Sidney J. Reso. v Artnur u. ^eaie s guilty piea to Mate charges came one week after le admitted in federal court that he ^ Manned and carried out the April 19 kidnapping, and said he acci- ^ lentally shot Reso during the ab- n luction. Reso died four days later. Seale, formerly of Hilton Head Lsland, S.C., could be sentenced to 1 rrjaximum of life in prison with to chance of parole for 45 years, v ines up to $2 million and $20,000 n restitution on the state charges. c He also faces a maximum penllty of 95 years when he is sen- c) enced on federal charges. Answering a series of questions e ?rom Superior Court Judge Regi- ? y laid Stanton, Seale acknowledced v. w lj hat he and his wife grabbed Reso 'rom the driveway of his Morris ^ rownship home. Asked if he shot t Reso, Seale said his gun "acciden- ^ ally discharged." j. Seale quietly answered "yes" as he judge asked him whether he j ook Reso to a storage locker and c eft him in a wooden box with his v jyes and mouth taped shut. Asked r f Reso was given any medical at- e ention, Seale said, "He was s reated by my wife and myself." He admitted that he kidnapped v Reso with the intent of extorting r SI8.5 million from Exxon Corp. t BoHulkl m tfly ; to leisurely le makes the m 1 S \ .Jl <i $ <' < -r* * ? I M ^ IIHHKiPwft^li Pl^F5 fiW"',? ^ 4 "4 " if ard plead: ng, murde The judge said he was satisfied hat Seale was not pressured by rose'cutors to plead guilty, that he nderstood the charges and that he /as guilty. Morris County Prosecutor W. Michael Murphy had said that he youia noi enter a piea oargain greement with Seale. Federal proecutors also said they made no leal with Seale in return for his ;uilty plea to charges of attempted xtortion; conspiracy; use of the nail and telephones and interstate ravel to further the extortion, and weapons charge. The state did drop four charges - conspiracy, extortion, aggraated assault and illegal possession if a gun ? because they dupliated the federal charges. Stanton said he planned to schelule sentencing 011 the same date bat Seale is sentenced on the fed ral charges before U.S. District udge Garrett E. Brown. Brown las not set a sentencing date. Reso, 57, was president of Exxon's international division head[uartered in Florham Park. He was eaving his house for work when le was abducted. Last Tuesday before Judge Jrown, Seale gave a dramatic :ourtroom confession with Reso's vidow present. He said he never neant to kill Reso, but that the exicutive died in his arms in the torage locker on May 3. Seale told Brown he and his vife worked together on ransom lotes and phone calls in which hev called themselves 'IWarriots QB1 nM weekends, : grade. Whether you enjoying free 1 fits your collej that fits your sti I 12.95inte> I KNIT SHIRT 100% cotton jerse cream, navy, ruby, bleach white, fire, S-M-L. In Juniors 19.95'? WALK SHOP cuffs. In 11 solid c purple, emerald, h and charcoal. Size 1 49.95? ' With pockets. Of i and seven solid co purple, hunter, anc . * \? ORDHMYORMGHICMJL T.D.D. (THfCOMMUMC/mt T0LL-FRK1-800-822-706 4:80 PM CS1 s guilty r charges of the Rainbow" and threatened to kidnap another Exxon executive. Seale and his wife, Irene J. Seale, both 45 of Lebanon Townchin w/pre orrpctpH in T-T orlrptt c_ town June 19 after investigators followed a trail of ransom notes and phone calls across rural northwestern New Jersey. No ransom was paid. On June 27, Mrs. Seale directed investigators to a secluded area of the Pine Barrens in Burlington County, where Reso's body was found in a shallow grave. Mrs. Seale pleaded guilty to federal extortion charges and had been expected to testify against her husband at his federal trial. Her testimony in state court could have been prevented by Seale because of state evidence laws, but the Legislature was at work revising those laws. Irene Seale could be sentenced up to 25 years in prison on the fedorol pJiarrtac uai vnai 5V0. You Don't Have to be An Einstein Y~^-1 To Understand the Benefits of Cooperative Education. this ['re attending class or time, this is an outfit that *iate lifestyle - at a price udent budget. 1IM CREW NECK Oversized, comfortable fit. Of y knit. In 11 solid colors: black, purple, emerald, lacquer blue, ember, and laser pink. Sizes 1im corduroy ts Belted, with pockets and olors: black, cream, navy, ruby, icquer blue, dune, olive, taupe, s5-13. In Juniors'. imix wool blazer riflton wool In nccnrfpH ntaiHc " vv?i ill UJUV1VVW ^/lUIUJ lors: charcoal, navy, ruby, red, 1 orange. Sizes S-M-L. In . TOLL-FREE 1-800-424-8185. MS DEVICE FOR THE DEAF) USERS CALL iZ MOMMY THRU HOMY, 8:80 MM TO