OT?: Four Killed in Kentucky Plane Crash

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No cause cited for the crash

Feb 14, 2000 - 10:30 PM Former Race Car Driver Among Four Killed in Kentucky Plane Crash By Mark R. Chellgren Associated Press Writer

LEESBURG, Ky. (AP) - A small plane plunged into a muddy farm field Monday, killing former Indy car driver Tony Bettenhausen Jr., the youngest son in a famous racing family, and three other people. Bettenhausen's wife, Shirley, and two others also were killed when the twin-engine plane crashed at about 11:45 a.m. about 30 miles north of Lexington, said Brad Stevens, an executive with Bettenhausen Racing in Indianapolis.

Stevens said the other victims were Russ Roberts, a partner in Bettenhausen's racing team, and Larry Rangel, an Indiana businessman.

The plane had taken off from Tri-City Airport in Blountville, Tenn., en route to Indianapolis, the Federal Aviation Administration said. It was completely destroyed by fire, Kentucky State Police spokesman Rick Devers said.

David Muzio, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, said the plane had filed an instrument flight plan and had been in contact with an air traffic control center before the crash. "I'm not aware of any report of difficulties prior to the accident," Muzio said at a news conference at the crash scene.

Bettenhausen drove 11 Indianapolis 500 races from 1981 to 1993. He earned $2.4 million in his driving career and his CART team earned nearly $6 million in prize money with 13 different drivers.

His father raced at the Indianapolis 500 for 14 years from 1946 to 1960 and was killed in practice in 1961. The younger Bettenhausen started racing stock cars in 1969, joined the Winston Cup circuit in 1974 and competed in the USAC stock and midget divisions in 1975-76. He became the fourth Bettenhausen to start an Indy car race in his debut at Texas in 1979 and took his legacy to Indianapolis the next year. Bettenhausen finished seventh in his rookie race in 1981. He made his last start at the Indy 500 in 1993. The oldest son in the family, Gary, made his Indy car debut at Phoenix in 1966 and the first of 21 starts at Indianapolis in 1968.

Merle, the middle son, drove champ cars, dirt cars, sprints and midgets before going to Indianapolis in 1972. He passed his rookie test that year but never made a qualification attempt and later lost an arm in a crash at Michigan, ending his racing career.

link

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGICVC1YO4C.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 14, 2000

Answers

Nothing like living life in the fast lane.

-- Spoonfed (spoonfed@spoonfedd.xcom), February 14, 2000.

"I'm not aware of any report of difficulties prior to the accident,"

Hmmmmmm, interesting.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 15, 2000.


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