Thanks Tom :-( Let us know if there is anything we can do! Al Tom Laird-McConnell wrote:
> Rusty Divens, whom I know just because his email had ercoupe in it, and he > posted on newsgroups a lot died in a fatal plane crash on 4/14/98. > > I found this in an avaition newsgroup. > > -Tom > ------------------------------------------- > The following is a typed copy of an article in the > 4/14/98 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: > > AIR CRASH CAUSE IS STILL UNCLEAR > > Air safety investigator finds nothing wrong. > > By Johnna A. Pro, Post-Gazette Staff Writer > > Federal investigators combed the charred wreckage of a > single-engine airplane yesterday, trying to figure out why > the pilot lost control, killing himself and his son justbefore 7 pm Sunday. > The victims, William Calvin Divens, 46, and his son, Daniel, > 8, of Industry died of asphyxiation due to the fire that > erupted after fuel leaked into the craft's engine, said > Beaver County Coroner Wayne Tatalovich. > The fact that the crash itself was not what killed the pair > "makes it all that much more sad, " Tatalovich said. > Divens' wife, Christine, 36, and the couple's daughter Megan, > 11, remained hospitalized in Mercy Hospital. Mrs. Divens > suffered burns to her hands and face. Her daughter hascuts and bruises. > Jim Cain, air safety investigator for the Northeast Field > Office of the National Transportation Safety Board, said > early indications were that the Piper Pacer's mechanical > components were working properly when the crash occurred > on the south side of runway 2-8 at the Beaver County Airportin Chippewa. > "We can't find a mechanical problem," Cain said. "We're seeing > no failures at this time. We can't see any. That's not to > say there weren't any." > Witnesses at the airport Sunday night said Divens took off heading > west and got about 50 feet into the air when his left wing began > to dip. He circled once before the plane fell onto its belly. > Once the plane hit the ground, the wings crumpled, rupturing the > fuel tanks inside them. The fuel poured into the engine and > ignited the 1952 plane, which was constructed of a metal frame > and a specially treated fabric, not unlike many planes of that era. > Several pilots at the scene speculated that Divens hadn't been able > to get the plane up to speed and that instead it stalled, possibly > because its gross weight and center of gravity were off balance. > Cain said he would not be able to determine if that was a factor > until he was able to calculate the weight of the plane's occupants, > the total amount of fuel it carried and the location of the plane's > center of gravity, which varies among aircraft. > Other than a black flight bag containing Divens' logbooks, all of > which were burned, Cain found no luggage or other heavy objects in > the plane, he said. > "Every plane is weighted differently. With two adults and two > children, I don't think that's going to max out the airplane, Cain > said. "I don't see [center of gravity] as a player but I'm notruling it > out." > He said he would be trying to determine how much flying time Divens > had in the last 30, 60, and 90 days, as well as how much experience > he had flying aircraft similar to the Piper. > In addition, Cain will be trying to build a mechanical history ofthe plane. > Divens bought the plane Friday from Paul R. Deppe of East Amherst, > New York, a Buffalo suburb. Divens flew it back to Beaver County > Friday afternoon and paid to park it at the airport. > Although he was a certified pilot, no one at the airport knew Divens > and he was not a pilot who usually flew in and out of there, according > to Beth C. LaValle, the airport's manager. > Divens was the associate director and a professor at the Falk Library > at the University of Pittsburgh. > He was a 1968 graduate of Central Catholic High School in Oakland. > He earned his bachelor's degree in library & information science from > Pitt in 1972 and went on to earn his master's degree. > While growing up in Penn Hills, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout > with a local troop. > He was a member of the Ercoupe Owners Club and the Experimental > Aircraft Association. > In addition to his wife and daughter, Divens is survived by his > parents, William Calvin and Janet M. Brown Divens Sr. of Penn Hills. > Daniel Divens was a second grader at the SS Peter & Paul Catholic > School in Beaver. > He was a member of the Brighton Township Bears football team, the > Beaver Bitty Bobcats basketball team and thh Ohioville Bluejaysbaseball > team. > In addition to his mother, sister and paternal grandparents, he is > survived by his maternal grandmother, Mildred Crytzer of Industry. > Funeral arrangements are being handled by Schwerha Funeral Home, > 600 Beaver Ave., Midland. Visitation for Divens and his son will be > held from 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm Friday in St. Blaise Parish on > Route 68, Midland Beaver Road, Industry. A Mass will be celebrated > at 10 am Saturday in the church. > End of Article....
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