European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 6, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 9l.a. Crash probes study exit problems the us air jetliner s smashed cockpit sits in front of a Section of fuselage at a los Angeles International air port hangar monday. Los Angeles Dpi a a the National transportation safety Board turned its investigation of a fiery runway collision from the circumstances surrounding the disastrous Landing to reasons Why passengers were unable to escape the flaming Airliner. Meanwhile an Ohio Man who suffered massive Burns in fridays crash of the us air Boeing 737-300 and the sky West commuter flight died of his injuries monday becoming the 34th fatality. Fifteen investigators from the Nosb us air and other agencies surrounded the remains of the us air Jet in a Remote hangar at los Angeles International Airport on monday. They were hoping to learn Why some passengers on the big Jet appeared to have survived the Impact Only to die in the fire. The smaller plane was obliterated. A one of the major interests of our investigation is Why they were not Able to get out. Because it s important to evacuate aircraft in time to avoid fatalities a Nosb investigator Jim Burnett said. He said virtually All of the 22 people who died on the Jet which carried 89 passengers and Crew were a up and out of their seats moving towards the exit before they died in the intense heat and smoke. The Pilot died in the cockpit while the co Pilot survived by leaping to the ground a a a. A a a. A Quot a a a a. A investigators believe the Tower controller cleared the us air Jet coming in from Columbus Ohio and Washington to land on the same runway where she had just directed the sky West Fairchild metro commuter plane to wait for Takeoff. The 737 slammed into the rear of the smaller Craft and crushed it killing All 12 people on Board and throwing five of them from the Small plane. The jets fuselage split As both planes skidded in flames for More than 1,300 feet slamming into an abandoned Airport fire station at the Edge of the runway. The left Side of the us air jets cockpit was the first to hit the building killing the Captain As it was smashed against a Concrete Wall like a tin can. The entire left Side of the cockpit was crushed. The nose of the sky West Reagan takes Thatcher party on tour of unfinished Library by the los Angeles times Simi Valley Calif. A with British and american flags flying former president Reagan led former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her entourage monday on a personal tour of his As yet unfinished presidential Library. Reagan Thatcher her husband sir Denis and other family members had mid morning Tea behind closed doors at the massive Mission style building before venturing outside to pose for the cameras from British and american Media in front of a hunk of the Berlin Wall mounted on the Library grounds. Reagan aides tried to discourage interviews at the event that was billed As Only a a photo  but questions shouted from reporters about the persian Gulf War proved to be too great a temptation to the to former world leaders. A what i can say about Saddam Hussein is that he is a threat to civilization a Reagan told about 50 reporters photographers and television camera Crews. Asked for a message to . Troops fighting overseas he said a god bless them for what they Are  Thatcher expressed a great Confidence in our military commanders to remove iraqi troops from Kuwait. A obviously we Long for the Day when the work is Complete a Thatcher said. A any tyrant must know that this is the response with which he would  a a a Thatcher came to California upon Reagan a invitation to his 80th birthday dinner wednesday in Beverly Hills. Thatcher will address 900 or so guests expected at the dinner that Reagan boosters Hope will raise As much As $2 Pillion for his Library which is scheduled to open in nine months and ultimately will hold Reagan a presidential papers and other White House Memorabilia. Bill Garber Reagan a spokesman said the Ronald Reagan presidential foundation is More than Halfway to its 10-year goal to raise $75 million to pay for the Library and launch the Ronald Reagan Center for Public affairs a conservative think tank that will occupy one Small Section of the building. Once completed the Ronald Reagan presidential Library which will include a museum will be bigger and More expensive than any of its 10 predecessors. It will include 153,000 Square feet of space and carry a $60 million Price tag according to Charles h. Jelloian the foundations director of operations. All initial costs will be covered by private donors. But taxpayers will pay for most of the Library a Upkeep estimated at $1.5 million to $3 million yearly. Federal tax records obtained by the los Angeles times show that the foundation had raised $52.2 million from 1985 through �?T89, with another20 million in uncollected pledges. Garber said the irs records Are misleading. Although he lacked up to Date figures Garber said actual Cash donations collected through 1989 were $36.7 million. The Reagan Library will House an estimated 54 million pages of White House documents and 30,000 gifts Reagan received during his eight years As president. Plane was forced into the Tarmac before it was smashed by the belly of the Jet. The smaller planets propeller slashed the front right Side of the Jet like a can opener. Burnett said that by studying the propeller slashes investigators should be Able to determine now fast both planes were going at the time of Impact. Seven Jet victims were found in the first class Section and the bodies of at least 10 others were found ii the main Cabin some of them lying face Down in the aisle. Burnett said it appeared they were being led toward an exit by one of the night attendants who also died. A they almost Nrang it to the exit a Burnett said. A a the escape Chute in the right Froni emergency a it failed to open but others appeared to have deployed As expected and Many people escaped virtually unscathed. Part of the Nosb investigation will focus on the jets seats and whether they May have been uprooted on Impact blocking the aisle Burnett said. Most of the charred seats were sent to a Laboratory for further study. Richard Kong of Mansfield Ohio died monday at Sherman Oaks Community Hospital Burn Center. He had suffered Burns Over most of his body. Fog forced the Nosb to cat Cal a planned simulation of the Accident monday night using a helicopter to repeat the approach of the us air plane while a Turboprop is parked in the waiting position of the sky West commuter Light. The purpose of the test is to determine at what Point if any the Pilot can see a Small plane on the runway. Nosb investigators believe a non functioning ground radar system coupled with a harried and possibly confused air traffic controller contributed to the collision. During the simulation Nosb investigators planned to View the helicopters movements from the position in the control Tower where the traffic controller who cleared them was working hoping to observe whether the controllers View was obstructed. Burnett said the controller provided a urine Sample for testing and agreed to submit to a blood test but no blood was taken from her. Results of the urine test for alcohol or drugs were pending. Former president Reagan leads former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher on a tour of the As yet unfinished Ronald Reagan presidential Library. In the background is a chunk of the Berlin  Supply cutbacks stun Calif Farmers 7 by the los Angeles times. Sacramento Calif. A the worsening drought hit the California farming Industry on two fronts monday As the state announced the suspension of All its agricultural water deliveries and gov. Pete Wilson disclosed that Federal deliveries would be Cut by two thirds. Farming interests immediately predicted that the cutbacks would Force More agricultural lands to go out of production and probably Lead to Steep increases in food prices As Early As next year. A the California farm Bureau said the water shortages would affect a wide Range of crops including Cotton wheat grains almonds grapes tree fruits olives and a variety of vegetables. The first assault on the Farmers came with the announcement from the state department of water resources that it was immediately stopping All water Deriv eries to agriculture from the state water project. The second assault came later monday when Wilson disclosed in Washington that Federal officials would announce next week that their agricultural customers in California would receive Only one third of their Normal Federal water deliveries this year. Those cutbacks will affect 20,000 Farmers but will not compound the loss of state water project customers because most Farmers Are served by either Federal or state sources but not both. After four full years of drought California is facing another dry year. Since oct. 1, rainfall has been 28 percent of Normal. Reservoirs Are at record Low Levels Many with Only half their Normal supplies and the Snow pack shows Little water Content. The state water resources control Board is supposed to decide thursday on a number of far reaching measures including a recommendation to limit household water use to 300 Gallons a Day