European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 a the stars and stripes Friday july 12, 199113 killed in Alabama plane crash Birmingham Ala. A a commuter plane crashed into a House and burned during a heavy thunderstorm wednesday killing at least 13 people on the plane and injuring four More on the ground authorities said. The Pilot and one passenger survived Hospital officials said. There were conflicting reports about the death toll. The Federal aviation administration said 14 people on the plane and four on the ground were killed. But the airline said Only 15 people had been on the flight and Birmingham fire chief buddy Wilks could not confirm any deaths on the ground. Robert Carlisle who lives across an Alley from the crash site said he heard the plane moments before it went Down. A it went dead. The engine sputtered. Then i saw flames Quot he said. Kathleen. Bergen an Faa spokeswoman in Atlanta said the Pilot had not reported problems before the crash. Birmingham police sgt. Elvis Kennedy said Quot it came across one House and hit a second House. The second House went into flames with the fire officials were searching the burned rubble for other victims. La express flight 508 from Mobile to Birmingham had 13 passengers and two Crew members said Carl Tackett a l express vice president at the airline s new Orleans Headquarters. He said the plane was a Beechraft c-99 twin engine Turboprop. The plane was on final approach to Birmingham a Airport when it crashed in a residential area of West Birmingham at 6 12 p.m., said Faa spokesman Fred Farrar in Washington. The Pilot was in critical condition at University Hospital in Birmingham but his injuries weren t life threatening said Hospital spokesman Jim Bosarge. He identified the Pilot As Francis Fernandez 40, of Niceville Fla. A second survivor was passenger Mabry Rogers 43, of Birmingham who was in stable condition in Carraway hos Pital in Birmingham with a broken leg find lacerations a nursing supervisor said. Three people from one Home at the crash site were hospitalized in satisfactory condition at Baptist medical Canter Princeton and an 81-year-old Man Leon Warren who lived in another House was in fair condition with minor Burns Hospital spokeswoman Susan Moore said. Kennedy the police sergeant said a severe thunderstorm was moving into the area at the time of the crash. A there was lots of High winds and Thunder and lightning. The rain had just begun to come Down Quot he said. The plane clipped one House and apparently hit the ground before blowing into the second House setting the one Story Wood Frame building on fire said Jerry Prater chief fire marshal for Birmingham. He said the first House did t Burn but was heavily damaged. Carlisle one of the witnesses said a Man who survived the crash had a Gash Over one Eye and told him Quot the plane had turned and the next thing i knew it was in a Carlisle said he saw charred bodies but search for survivors because of the flames. The blackened Hulk of the plane Lay Between the rubble of the two Homes part of it in the front Yard of the burned Home part in the Street. Only the Tail Section was unburned. As night Felt authorities cordoned off the area awaiting the arrival of Federal investigators. Tackett said it was la express first crash since the airline began service in August 1989. The airline offers commuter flights in Louisiana Alabama and Texas. The Beechraft c-99 typically was built for 15 passengers and two Crew members said Michael Potts spokesman for Beech aircraft corp. In Wichita Kan. He said the plane is similar to the Beechraft a-99 and b-99, first built in 1968, and that he knew of no problems in the history of the 99 series. Jennifer Crowe hugs her grandmother Helen Crowe who escaped wednesdays crash near her Home in Birmingham builds for Gates to quit los Angeles a Calls for police chief Daryl Gates to resign mounted wednesday one Day after a panel that investigated a videotaped beating said his departure would help reduce racism and brutality in his department. Seven of the City councils 14 members said through aides that gales should go either immediately or once a successor is found Quot there a More political will to make changes than there has Ever been before Quot said Katharine Macdonald an aide to councilman Zev Yaroslavsky. Of the remaining seven Council members one pledged his support three refused to take a stand on the Issue and the other three be reached. A 15th Council scat is vacant. The Christopher commission formed after the videotaped police beating of Motorist Rodney King issued its report tuesday. Minority and civil rights groups also urged Gates to step Down. A a it a time for new leadership Quot said Carl Mcgill president of the african american police officer association. A a it a time for us to leave the dark Ages of Law enforcement and catch up to the rest of the the commission report found graphic examples of racism in the 8,300-Mcmbcr department. During the investigation Gates said he would resign if the panel found he had fostered a climate of racism and brutality. However after Reading the report Gates rejected the commissions recommendation. Thomas marijuana smoking downplayed by White House Washington a the White House said wednesday night that supreme court nominee Clarence Thomas a took several puffs on a marijuana cigarette in College and perhaps Law school hut called the matter in a statement the while House said the conservative appeals judge now Quot believes it was a mistake and never repeated a judge Thomas fully disclosed this information on the Fri form and interview which were provided to the Senate judiciary committee in connection with the judge s nomination to the court of appeals a said a statement read Over the Telephone by White House spokeswoman Judy Smith. A we View this matter As Incon Thomas the statement also said a judge Thomas took several puffs on a marijuana cigarette in College and perhaps once in Law Smith said she would not be Able to provide information beyond the statement wednesday night but suggested that she might be Able to Clear up questions about dates and places later. Federal appeals judge Douglas Ginsburg was selected by president Reagan for a supreme court seat oct. 29, 1987, after the defeat in the Senate of the nomination of judge Robert h. Bork but Ginsburg withdrew nine Days later after admitting that he had smoked marijuana while a professor at Harvard Law school. Earlier wednesday president Bush said he was not tilling a racial quota by picking Thomas for the supreme court calling his nomination of the Black Jurist the right thing at the right Quot a predicting Thomas will win Senate confirmation Bush told a news conference he expects widespread Public support for the nomination despite criticism from some civil rights groups. A a we re taking on some water on this Quot the president said. But he added a i think it. Is Well received. I have an innate Confidence that this Man will be Bush was asked about remarks monday by Senate majority Leader George j. Mitchell a Maine who said the president is opposed to quotas except when it comes to selecting a nominee to the High court. Thomas would be the second Black on the court replacing the first a retiring Justice Thurgood Marshall 83. Thomas is an outspoken conservative on Many racial issues espousing self help for Blacks and minorities. Marshall is a leading Liberal who has championed government efforts to overcome racial discrimination. Quot in my View this Isnit a quota appointment a Bush said wednesday of the Thomas nomination. A it is the right thing at the right time to use an expression that Lyndon Johnson a libera group known As supreme court watch meanwhile urged that a topic of the confirmation hearings be Thomas affiliation with the Lincoln Institute for research and education a conservative Black think tank. Supreme court watch said Thomas has served for the past decade on the editorial review Board of a Lin Coin Institute publication the Lincoln review that has repeatedly carried articles criticizing abortion and affirmative action
