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CRASHR::JILLY "COSROCS -- In Thrust We Trust" 106 lines 5-APR-1993 15:09
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From: clarinews@clarinet.com (BRUCE MARTIN)
Subject: Race driver Alan Kulwicki dies in plane crash
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 10:58:15 PST
United Press International
BRISTOL, Tenn. (UPI) -- Investigators at the site of the plane crash
that killed defending NASCAR Winston Cup champion Alan Kulwicki along
with three other passengers said Friday weather was not a factor in the
crash near Blountville, Tenn.
However, there is speculation that when the twin-engine, turbo-prop
Merlin Fairchild aircraft was making its final approach to the Tri-
Cities Airport near Bristol Thursday night, one of the landing flaps
went up, while the flap on the opposite wing did not engage. That may
have been the reason why the aircraft went into a heavy, downward
spiral.
He said the plane was roughly 600 to 800 feet high when it went into
the spiral. He also declined to speculate on a cause for the crash.
The plane came down on rolling farmland at the edge of a woods, with
half a dozen houses within 500 to 600 feet of the crash site, Carr said.
He said no one on the ground was injured.
Kulwicki's aircraft was arriving from Knoxville, Tenn., where the
driver signed autographs during a scheduled personal appearance at a
Hooters restaurant. The plane was behind the aircraft of fellow NASAR
Winston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt's, as the two were preparing to land
at Tri-Cities for Sunday's Food City 500--a race Kulwicki won last
spring.
``They were about two miles behind us and they didn't have any
problems that I noticed,'' said Mike Colyer, Earnhardt's pilot. ``The
ceiling was 4,000 feet and I saw the airport from 15 miles out.
``The pilot (Charlie Campbell) called the tower and said, 'We are
outside the marker.' The tower called back and said they were cleared
for landing on runway two (23).
``It wasn't 30 seconds later, I heard the impact on the radio.''
According to Colyer, the radio microphone in Kulwicki's aircraft was
on at the time of the collision.
``I heard a grunt and a holler, then I heard the impact,'' Colyer
said. ``The tower controller heard it too because he was trying to call
back and couldn't get a response.''
According to Keith Carr, sheriff of Sulivan County (Tenn.), the four
passengers on board included the 38-year-old Kulwicki, the owner-driver
of the Hooters Ford Thunderbird; Mark Brooks of Atlanta, the 26-year-old
son of Hooters CEO Robert Brooks; Dan Duncan, 44, Taylor, S.C., the
director of sports marketing for Hooters, and Campbell, the 48-year-old
pilot from Peachtree, S.C.
Carr said the crash was so severe, all four passengers were killed on
impact.
Carr said two deputies en route to a routine call saw the crash.
``It apeared to be on a normal glide slope and simply went into what
they considered an extreme downward attitude, a spiral, impacting the
ground,'' he said.
``The worst part was I told Earnhardt, Kulwicki had gone down, and
then all the Hooter's people were waiting at the airport to pick them
up,'' Colyer said. ``I couldn't tell them.
``I just couldn't tell them.''
According to Carr, the conditions at the time of the crash were six
miles visibility with light rain and some fog. Investigators from the
National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Authority
are at the crash site, attempting to determine what caused the plane to
crash.
The 38-year-old Kulwicki was single and lived in Charlotte, N.C.,
after moving from Greenfield, Wis., in 1986. He is survived by his
father, Gerry Kulwicki. Brooks is survived by his parents, Bob and
Yvonne, and one brother, Coby. Duncan is survived by his wife, Joan, and
two children while Campbell is survived by his wife, Barbara, and two
childrens.
Kulwicki's sponsor, Hooters, closed all its restaurants Friday in
honor of those killed in the crash.
``Our hearts go out to the victim's families and friends,'' said Rick
Akam, president of Hooters of America. ``This is a tremendous business
and personal loss.''
Ford Motor Company also recognized the death of one of its drivers by
lowering the flags at Ford's North American Automotive Operations
headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., to half-staff.
``We lost a good friend,'' said Michael Kranefuss, who heads Ford's
worldwide racing operations. ``This is a great loss to everyone in the
motorsport community. Alan was really more to us than just the Winston
Cup champion and a guy who raced Fords. He was the people's champion as
well.
``Alan was a great example of what someone can accomplish through
hard work and sheer determination. He certainly always did it his own
way.''
Perhaps the most touching tribute to Kulwicki occurred at Bristol
Raceway, where the NASCAR Winston Cup race teams were preparing for
Friday's pole qualifications for Sunday's Food City 500.
At 10:30 a.m. (EST), a moment of silence for Kulwicki took place as
all drivers and mechanics put down their tools. At that time, Kulwicki's
team transporter was slowly driven around the .533-mile Bristol Raceway
by crew member Peter Jellen, who visibly cried while he drove the truck
for one lap. When the truck crossed the finish line, NASCAR starter
Doyle Ford waved the checkered flag.
At 1:21 p.m., NASCAR officials stopped practice while the team
transporter drove down the front straightaway, leaving the track for the
final time.
Kulwicki had become an auto racing rags-to-riches story in 1992,
winning the Winston Cup title as the first owner-driver since Richard
Petty in 1979. He was the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup rookie of the year,
and during his career he won five races in 207 starts, earning a total
of $5,095,052. He finished sixth in last Sunday's TranSouth Financial
500 at Darlington Raceway, his last race ever.
Ironically, at the beginning of the season, Kulwicki decided to
obtain a plane to help transport himself and his crew to the races to
minimize the time required to get to each event.
``I'm trying to do more to help the guys,'' Kulwicki said before the
Daytona 500. ``We've got a plane this year and we have more resources to
work with. I think we're in good shape.
``This (the plane) has worked out well for me.''
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