European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 07, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april 7, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 3clues slim on Tower s plane crash Brunswick a apr the plane carrying former us. Sen. John Tower and 22 ethers gave off a loud bang before diving nose first into the ground and bursting into flames killing everyone aboard witnesses said. ,. The probes from the National transportation safety Board began their in Quiry saturday into the crash of the twin engine commuter plane As officials used a nearby elementary school As a morgue for the victims which also included one a of towers daughters and an astronaut. The twin engine Atlantic Southeast airlines plane did not carry a flight data recorder and investigators so far have few clues into the cause of Friday of the Moon a crash said Preston Hicks an Nosb official from Atlanta. A some witnesses did indicate that there was a loud bang and Carter then the air plane nosed Over and hit the ground a he said late Friday. Airline officials had not released the names of the planets 20 passengers and three Crew members by Early saturday. But colleagues and relatives confirmed that Tower a Texas Republican his daughter Marian Tower Nasa astronaut Manley Lanier a a Sonny Carterjr. And or. Nicholas Davies the president elect of the american College of physicians were among those killed. Atlantic Southeast senior vice president John Beiser said flight 2311, bound from Alanta to Brunswick crashed about three Miles Short of the Lynco Jetport. The Pilot had not reported any difficulty Beiser said. The plane crashed into a Thicket of Trees narrowly missing a Mobile Home Park about a mile away. Rescuers had to bulldoze a 150-Yard path to reach the flaming wreckage. The Accident came a Day after . Sen. John Heinz r-pa., and six others were killed in an  Over a Philadelphia suburb. A the news. Deepens the sorrow and sense of loss we have so recently Felt with the death of sen. John Heinz a president Bush said in a statement. The charred plane remained in the Woods hours after the crash the victims still inside As investigators searched for clues.  1 it a a a a a a a a a Tower 65, was travelling with his 35-year-old daughter to a dinner in his Honor at the exclusive sea Island resort Community his office said. He was on a promotional tour for his Book a consequences a personal and political Memoir a which was published in january. A Tower a . Senator from 1961 to 1985, had been practising Law in Dallas. Flags at the Texas Capitol were lowered to half staff Friday. Tower was nominated in 1988 by Bush a longtime Friend to serve As defense Secretary. But the Senate rejected him expressing concerns about his moral fitness As stories of heavy drinking and womanizing emerged during confirmation hearings. It was the first time in 30 years a presidents Cabinet Choice had been rejected. A a a a a. Sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., who succeeded Tower As Senate armed services committee chairman and led the fight against his nomination As defense Secretary said he was a deeply  Nunn was the target of criticism from Tower in the new autobiography. Marian Tower and her father former sen. John Tower shown in a 1989 photo. Rile photo America has lost a Patriot a Nunn said in a statement in Washington. A senator towers love of country and belief in a Strong National defense characterized his Many years of distinguished Public service. He fought for Freedom and worked diligently to make the world More  the Federal aviation administration said the plane was a brazilian made embrace Emb-120 Brasilia. Beiser de scribed it As a a relatively new piece of  he said it was not required to carry a flight data recorder. The embrace 120 can scat 30 passengers. There Are about 100 in the United states and they arc popular with commuter airlines. Since 1986, two have been involved in fatal crashes one in the United states and one in Brazil. Seven people were killed in the two accidents. Philadelphia a a helicopter Rotor struck the right Sving of . Sen. John Heinz Sailplane moments before the collision that resulted in seven deaths according to preliminary investigation results. Strike Marks from the Rotor were found on the Piper Aerostat pa60�?Ts right propeller and Wing Susan m. Coughlin National transportation safety Board vice chairman said Friday night at a Philadelphia hotel. A 9vi-fdot Section of the wings leading Edge was found about a Block from most of the wreckage she said. One of the Bell 412 helicopters four Rotor Blades was found in a nearby Yard. The right wings Landing gear also was Blade struck Heinz plane s Wing found apart from the main wreckage which burned on Impact thursday near Merion elementary school in suburban Philadelphia Coughlin said. Heinz his two pilots and the two helicopter pilots were killed. Two children on the school playground were killed by falling debris from the fiery crash. Heinz 52, a Pennsylvania Republican was the heir to the Heinz food Empire. Funeral services were Tobe held wednesday in Pittsburgh with a memorial service scheduled Friday at the National Cathedral in Washington. The cause of the crash is unlikely to be determined for several months officials said. A Quot a a. A a a investigators said saturday they in tended to interview the air traffic controller who talked to pilots of both aircraft As the helicopter tried to Check the planets Landing gear Coughlin said. It officials have said the planets pilots had asked the helicopters pilots to Check the Landing gear after a Light in their cockpit indicated it had not properly locked into place. Witnesses have said both aircraft were flying Low in close. Proximity and on a level flight path with the helicopter slightly lower than the plane before the collision Coughlin said.-. Nothing unusual had been detected about either crafts flight before the planets cockpit Light failed to confirm its nose Landing gear had locked into place As it approached Philadelphia International Airport. _ the Landing gear lock Down switch had been recovered and would be Analysed in Washington she said. The instrument Light panel was destroyed by fire. Voice tapes were retrieved from the helicopter and have been sent to Washington for analysis Coughlin said. The Airport towers tape recordings also have been preserved but not yet turned Over to the Nosb she said no transcripts have been made Public from either set of recordings. The plane had no cockpit flight recorder and was not required to have one an Nosb investigator said l 1in area secured for Bush 2 held los Angeles apr two television employees assigned to a secured area for president Bush a departure from los Angeles were detained but not arrested after two22-caliber pistols were found in their vehicles authorities said. It was the first time firearms had been found so close to a presidential departure White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Friday aboard air Force  two men who were detained Friday were a cameraman from Fox to and a courier for Cable news network officials for both news organizations confirmed. Neither was identified. Joseph Perez assistant special agent in charge of the los Angeles office of the secret service said neither was arrested. A there were two Small Caliper weapons detected during our Security procedures at los Angeles inter National Airport in connection with the visit of the president of the United states a he said in a prepared statement. He said no other details would be immediately released. Can spokesman Steve Haworth in Atlanta confirmed that one of the men arrested was a Gallop courier employee hired by can to transport a videotape from the Airport to a can studio. A the was not a permanent employee but a temporary one Haworth said. Rolando Santos assistant news director of Fox news at a Tiv Channel 11, a Fox television affiliate confirmed the detention of the Fox employee a the weapon was his own personal weapon and being carried against company policy a Santos said. Fitzwater said Drivers of the vehicles were detained for questioning by uniformed secret service agents who conducted the searches. One of the vehicles was labelled As a television Van and the other a courier s car Fitzwater said. The pistol in the car was in the Glove compartment Fitzwater said. The pistol in the Van was found in a briefcase. _. The two Drivers had passed what Fitzwater called a a routine magnetometer search a a Metal Detec Tor search a for individuals entering the area but they also wanted to bring in their vehicles. Both were credentialed to cover Bush a departure to Houston. The incident happened Between about 6 15 . And 6 30 ., about 45 minutes before Bush arrived at the Airport by helicopter from an event at nearby Universal City. Bush whose departure was not delayed was told of the incident Fitzwater said