they said it was too close to the ground
ya think
On a very selfish note, we Domers could only hope it was to tell the arrogant, ignorant president of the University of Notre Dame, Fr. Monk Malloy that NBC is going to stop televising the dreadful Notre Dame football games until they get a decent coach and rebuild the football program.
On a far more serious and important note, I am saddened by the death of 2 of the passengers and pray for their souls.
High altitude take-offs require more runway. They can be particularly deadly to those not used to flight operations at higher field elevations.
ap on yahoo
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=2&u=/ap/20041128/ap_on_re_us/jet_crash
NBC Sports Exec Injured in Colo. Jet Crash
MONTROSE, Colo. - NBC Sports Chairman and President Dick Ebersol survived a charter plane crash that killed at least two people Sunday, NBC said in a statement through its Denver affiliate KUSA-TV. The jet crashed through a fence and burst into flames at Montrose Regional Airport, which serves the Telluride Ski Area.
The network said the pilot and co-pilot were killed. Sheriff's officials said three survivors, including Ebersol, were seriously injured, and rescuers were searching for a sixth person listed on the plane's manifest whose seat from the plane was missing from the wreckage.
Identities of other victims were not immediately released pending notification of relatives, but KUSA said Ebersol's wife, actress Susan St. James, was not on the plane.
Authorities were searching for the missing person in rugged terrain by helicopter and on the ground.
Montrose County Sheriff's officials said two people were dead, but a Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) spokesman said three had died in the crash.
The crash occurred in an area covered with small brush and cedar trees, sheriff's Communications Supervisor David Learned said. A large drainage ditch also is at the site.
There was snow in the area but regional FAA (news - web sites) spokesman Allen Kenitzer said he did not know if it was a factor.
The plane was on its way to South Bend, Ind. Kenitzer identified the plane's tail number as N873G, a CL-601 Challenger registered to Jet Alliance of Millville, N.J.
An operator at Jet Alliance said she had no information about the crash.
Investigators from the FAA and National Safety Transportation Board were en route to the airport, 185 miles southwest of Denver.
Ebersol became president of NBC Sports in 1989, running a network division that has dwindled down to just the Olympics and smaller events like Wimbledon (news - web sites) tennis and professional golf. Last summer's Olympics in Athens proved to be very successful for NBC and for Ebersol, a protege of Roone Arledge, the former ABC sports executive who pioneered modern Olympic coverage.
Ebersol also worked as an NBC entertainment executive, and in the early 1980s was executive producer of Saturday Night Live, when Lorne Michaels left.
Dick's sons may have been on board.http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/1838687/
Interior
What's a "Challenger"? Who makes it?
According to this update another son is missing.
NBC Sports Chief Ebersol Survives Plane Crash That Killed
Two in Southwestern Colorado
The Associated Press
Published: Nov 28, 2004
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MONTROSE, Colo. (AP) - A charter plane crashed and burst into flames during takeoff Sunday, killing at least two people and seriously injuring NBC Sports Chairman and President Dick Ebersol and two others. Rescue crews were searching for one of Ebersol's sons
Doug Percival an employee of Pro Tow, which is located near the end of the airport, witnessed the accident.
"I was just getting back to the shop," Percival said. "I was in the office when I heard something that sounded like a sonic boom. I looked out the window to see what it was and I saw a big ball of flames coming off the runway there."
Percival said the plane went through a fence at the end of the runway, and he didn't think the plane left the ground prior to the explosion.
"When I heard it and looked out the window the plane was on ground level," he said. "Then there was the big explosion and the fire and you could see the tail (of the plane) coming out of the smoke and fire. I went running back and unlocked the gate. I sprinted back there and by the time I got halfway there I heard a kid screaming for help saying his brother was still on the plane.
"I hopped a couple of fences and went through the one the plane went through. It was kind of bad, really. When I came through the smoke I saw all the people who were ejected from the plane."
Percival said one of the passengers was still breathing when he got there.
"One of them was still breathing but it didn't last very long," he said. "His leg was busted up and with bones sticking out from his legs and collar. I went up and felt for a pulse and it seemed like he had one. Then he took on one last deep breath and that was it."
"I remember the kid was still yelling. He came and grabbed me from the side and said 'Please, my brother is still in the plane. He was in the fourth row.' When I asked him where he was in the plane he said he was in the back row. There was him and another guy in the back row in they very last two seats and they were still alive. Both of them didn't have shoes. I don't know if it knocked them out of their shoes, but neither of them had shoes on."
According to the Associated Press, NBC Sports Chairman and President Dick Ebersol survived the plane crash, NBC said in a statement through its Denver affiliate KUSA-TV. It was also reported that Ebersol's wife, actress Susan St. James was not on the plane.
The Montrose Police Department was securing the crash area, which Chinn estimated was 200 to 300 yards long, until investigators from the FAA and the National Safety Transportation Board arrived. Kenitzger said the investigators were expected to be on the scene some time today. Chinn said the names of the deceased weren't available until next of kin had been notified. The condition and names of the surviving passengers were also unavailable.
Scott Brownlee, the Montrose Regional Airport's manager, said the CL-60 Challenger was "a larger end corporate aircraft" The airport's emergency response team arrived on site to put out the remains of the fire. The Montrose Fire Protection District also responded to the accident, while members of the Montrose County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff's Posse were involved in the search for the missing passenger.
******
Eyewitness Chuck Distel told KUSA-TV that one of the wings and the cockpit were ripped off the plane. "There were two people outside the airplane when we pulled up. Both of them pretty much were in shock," he said.
Kenitzer identified the plane's tail number as N873G, a CL-601 Challenger registered to Jet Alliance of Millville, N.J. The plane is a twin-engine jet that can carry up to 16 passengers.
******
NBC sports exec injured in Colo. jet crash
Associated Press
MONTROSE, Colo. - A charter plane carrying NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol crashed and burst into flames during takeoff Sunday, killing at least two people and seriously injuring Ebersol and one of his sons. Rescue crews were searching for another son.
Dick Ebersol and son Charles Ebersol survived the crash at the Montrose Regional Airport outside this southwest Colorado town, NBC said in a statement through its Denver affiliate KUSA-TV.
The station said crews searched for Teddy Ebersol by helicopter and on the ground. NBC said the seat was missing from the wreckage.
Sorry to hear that.
I was wondering WHY they were unable to find the 14 year old son.
I heard one son survived and is injured and one son is missing.
I know that my reply is a day late BUT I have it on first hand info that Susan St.James was dropped off at Montrose and that the aircraft then continued on (well almost).
Ebersol and Son were transported by ground vehicle from
Montrose to St. Mary's ER in Grand Junction. Weather conditions would not allowing air evac.
Susan St.James was waiting in the ER when they arrived!!
RP did not know if SStJ saw the crash or if she left the airfield while the plane was refueled if in fact the plane took on fueled.