Michael Cervi Jr., 30; Rodeo Star

[Ed Varner]

Monday October 1 12:18 AM ET
Rodeo Competitor Dies in Plane Crash

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (AP) - Michael Cervi Jr., a member of the Professional Rodeo
Cowboys Association since 1994, was one of three people killed Saturday when a
twin-engine Cessna crashed and burned near Marshfield's municipal airport. He
was 30.

Cervi, of Marana, Ariz., was the husband of two-time world champion barrel
racer Sherry Potter Cervi and son of longtime rodeo producer Mike Cervi.

Also killed in the crash were Mitchell L. Schier, 41, of Marshfield and Andrew
K. Maly, 30, of Marshfield.

Their plane came down about 400 feet off the end of the runway in a farm field
around 5 p.m. Saturday.

Cervi had been scheduled to compete with Chad Mathes in the team roping
competition Saturday in Doniphan, Mo., said PRCA spokesman Steve Fleming. But
Mathes confirmed to the PRCA that he and Cervi did not compete.

Cervi also lived in Bancroft, home of his wife's family, the Potters, who are
part-owner of Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., Fleming said. Their company,
Wisconsin Rapids-based Potter and Son, also owned the plane that crashed, he
said.

Cervi had finished 82nd in the world team roping standings last year, but
finished 16th, one position short of a National Finals Rodeo qualification in
1999.

The plane had called in to the attendant that it was eight miles out and on its
way to the airport, which has no control tower, officials said.

Local authorities turned the site over to investigators from the Federal
Aviation Administration (news - web sites) and National Transportation Safety
Board (news - web sites) on Sunday, said Sgt. Jim Hiller of the Marshfield
Police Department.

The Cessna had left the Marshfield airport Saturday and flew to Missouri,
landing in South Wood County Airport in Wisconsin Rapids on its way back.

The pilot had filed a flight plan for Marshfield and investigators did not know
what caused the plane to crash.