Purdue News
Purdue News
Meanwhile, two campuswide memorial services are being planned for the students and instructor killed in the crash as well as for a fraternity student who fell to his death the same day in an unrelated accident.
David Bowling, a regional air safety investigator for the NTSB, had the wreckage moved to a hangar at the Purdue Airport late Friday and this weekend worked to reassemble the plane to look for clues about the cause of the accident. He said he expects to resume examining the plane Thursday.
The Purdue instructor and two students majoring aviation technology -- all experienced pilots -- died when their plane crashed on the edge of the runway after takeoff. The students were both juniors: Julie A. Swengel, 21, from Greenwood, Ind. and Anthony R. Kinkade, 21, from Crown Point, Ind. Their instructor, Jeremy J. Sanborn, 24, a native of Prior Lake, Minn., graduated from Purdue's flight program in 1995 and lived in Lafayette. All three had private licenses and commercial certification.
The students were working toward their multi-engine rating. Investigators said earlier they may have been simulating an engine failure when the plane crashed just after takeoff.
Nathan A. Frank, 20, a junior in the School of Liberal Arts from Syracuse, Ind., died early Friday after he fell 35 feet from a third-floor widow at his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon. Tippecanoe County Coroner Martin Avolt said it appeared that Frank fell accidentally and there is no reason to believe he had been drinking. Blood tests to determine if alcohol played a role are expected back in a week or two. Frank's bunk was a few steps from the open window, the sill of which was knee level.
The Purdue Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association are planning a memorial service for all four at 7 p.m. Thursday on the Purdue Memorial Mall. Students in the Department of Aviation Technology are planning a service for 7 p.m. Friday at Hangar 6 West at the Purdue Airport. That service will include an optional walk to the site of the crash. The public is invited to both and has been asked to bring candles.
Writer: Jeanne V. Norberg, director, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2096;
email, jeanne_norberg@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
