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....
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
