RHODE ISLAND CRASH UPDATE
crwmike
5 DEAD IN AIRPLANE CRASH AT NORTH
CENTRAL
(Lincoln) -- State police are releasing the names of the five
skydivers killed
and one injured in a single-engine plane crash last night.
The pilot was 27-year-old James Castagnozzi of Whitman,
Massachusetts.
He died at Rhode Island Hospital.
Four people died on the North Central Airport runway:
21-year-old Nicole Rudkowski of Attleboro, Massachusetts;
31-year-old
Robert Backoff of Walpole, Massachusetts; 35-year-old Robert Mengel
of
West Warwick; and 26-year-old Karl Newton of the United Kingdom.
The sole survivor is 33-year-old Andrew Bedard of Quebec who is in
critical
condition today in Rhode Island Hospital.
The plane was operated by the Boston-Providence Skydiving Center.
Witnesses say the engine of the Cessna Skylane 182 stalled shortly
after
takeoff. The plane tilted left and crashed nose first into the
ground.
Fuel from a ruptured tank caused an explosion that injured three
firefighters. None were seriously hurt.
An investigation of the crash is underway this morning.
--
Blue Skies, Black Death
Michael
D-6139, I/JM(Retired)
"Skydiving: Where immortality is touched through danger, where life
meets death on
equal plane; where man is more than man, and existence both supreme and
valueless at
the same instant."--- Charles A. Lindbergh
Dale Wiggins
On Saturday, August 16, I went skydiving for the first time out of the
Boston-Providence Skydiving Center in Lincoln, RI. I had a great time,
but was greatly disturbed today to find out about the crash there
yesterday. I took a tandem jump, and I believe John Roan, the one who
witnessed the crash, was my instructor.
I am very curious about those who crashed. I desperately want to know
who was in that plane! I believe at least 2 of the men were on my run
as well, and one is dead now, and the other is in critical condition.
Karl Newton, who died on the runway, I think is my friend's (who went
with me) instructor, as he had a British accent, and the report said he
was from the UK. Also, the cameraman who took photos and a video of me
skydiving, I believe was Andrew Bedard, of Quebec, because I think I
remember his name being Andrew, I know he said he was from Canada.
Anyway, this has really spooked me, and I really want to find out if
any of the guys on my run were killed or injured for sure. If anyone
knows how to get photos or more info, please post a reply. I already
checked the skydiving center's website, but the section entitled "Meet
Our Staff" was offline, saying File Not Found, and I am wondering if
they took it offline after the crash.
The website is at: http://www.skydivetoday.com
If anyone can help me, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Dale
Oke
I am very sorry for the loss of life at boston-prov. this past weekend. I
jump at a near-by DZ in Ct. I made jumps all weekend in normal fashion
never expecting our planes to crash. this lets one realize there is danger
lurking around every corner,in this sport we LOVE!
A plane is just a machine and is vulnerable to malfunction. It is the
vehicle nesesary to put us where we need to be, in the blue skies....Every
jumper at my club also feels the loss of these fellow jumpers and pilot.
OKE C-27532
Tom Gwilym
Hmmm.....5 skydivers killed and one injured? Did they really stuff 6
people into
a 182???? From the way it is written, that is what it sounds like.
Anyone know
how many were really in the plane?
Tom