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WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 08/31/00
A pilot and passenger were killed when a small plane nose-dived into downtown Lexington.
Today federal investigators are expected to begin sorting through the wreckage of yesterday afternoon's crash.
Teresa Hamilton reports.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=We heard]
[SUPER=01-Danny Hamilton/Witness; :00]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/Yesterday; :10]
[SUPER=01-Mike Hamilton/Virginia State Police; :20]
[SUPER=@Teresa2; 1:24]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=NEWS 7, Lexington.]
(((////SOT////)
[IN Q=We heard]
((DANNY HAMILTON/WITNESS: WE HEARD A NOISE LIKE A PLANE IN TROUBLE AND IT JUST MADE A SPUTTERING NOISE AND ALL OF SUDDEN IT JUST, YOU HEARD A BOOM.))
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q= a boom.]
Danny Hamilton is one of several people who witnessed the accident.
State police say the 1959 piper style plane apparently began experiencing problems as it approached Lexington.
(////sot////)
[in q=As far ]
((MIKE HAMILTON/STATE POLICE: AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL HERE IT CAME OVER VMI, CIRCLED AND IT JUST BROKE UP, FROM THE REPORTS WE HAVE THE PLANE WAS DISINTEGRATING IN AIR.))
[OUT Q= in air.]
Authorities say the plane left debris in the city and the county.
Witnesses say one of the victims may have tried to jump from the plane or fell out... when the plane was approximately 400 feet in the air.
They say he was also clutching a duffle bag and died instantly when he fell to the pavement on a city street.
[in q=In my]
((MIKE HAMILTON/STATE POLICE: IN MY 14 YEARS OF BEING A STATE TROOPER THIS IS UNREAL.))
[runs=]
[OUT Q= is unreal.]
State police say the other victim was found inside the plane... the bulk of the wreckage which landed between the Visitors Center and some Washington and Lee fraternities.
The engine of the plane was lodged some three to four feet inside a concrete sidewalk.
Authorities say they don't know where the plane originated.
(///sot///)
[in q=We don't]
((MIKE HAMILTON/STATE POLICE: WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT LEFT FROM BUT IT STOPPED IN MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA ENROUTE TO DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA SOMEWHERE IN FLIGHT IT CHANGED DESTINATIONS TO COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.))
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q= south carolina.]
Authorities say they found two wallets they believe belonged to the victims but have not released any names or ages.
Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7, Lexington.))
[7-11Tech-Parking]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=00-35 TC17:12]
[GRAPHIC=Tech Football]
Due to Sunday's storms, there will be some parking changes for the the rest of the Virginia Tech football season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Monday]
The western part of Lot Nine was damaged by the torrential rain and fans trying to leave the game.
That lot will be closed for the rest of the season.
The eastern half of the lot will stay open and can fit 400 cars on a first-come first served basis.
Tech officials encourage "lot nine pass-holders" to use the B-lot on Price's Fork Road-- that lot is paved.
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Taking a break from the news now to check the forecst...
The clouds will linger today with scattered showers and highs near 80...
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Scattered Showers/75-80/Mostly Cloudy/Possible Showers/65-70;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)
[45-Neighbors-Crash]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#00-34 23:54]
[GRAPHIC=Plane Crash]
Debris from yesterday's plane crash in downtown Lexington covered an area a mile wide.
Neighbors found everything from wings of the plane to passengers' belongings in their yards.
Tina Tenret talked to some people whose homes are covered with clues.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Lisa Fry/Witness; :14]
[SUPER=01-David Clark/Firefighter; :36]
[SUPER=01-Tommy Roberts/Lexington Resident; 1:00]
[SUPER=@Tina1; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=Tina Tenret News7 Lexington]
[45-11Hiker-Found]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-33 TC30:12]
[GRAPHIC=Machail Sharov]
A missing hiker who got lost on the Appalachian Trail is safe after walking 30 mile to the airport to hop a plane to Georgia.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
(Mick-Ale Sha-rove) Machail Sharov, who's been described as an experienced hiker, says he took a wrong turn on the Appalachian Trail.
His parents and search parties from all over the area were scouting the woods, but Sharov's goal was to get back to the Army on time.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:42:25]
[IN Q=I know I have]
((MICHAEL SHAROV/HIKER: I KNOW I HAVE TO BE IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA TONIGHT SO I JUST WENT UP HERE AS FAST AS I COULD. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? I WALKED. YOU WALKED TO THE AIRPORT? YEAH. WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL YOUR PARENTS? I'M NOT SURE. I TRIED TO FIND A PHONE BUT THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY PHONES ALONG THE HIGHWAY. I DIDN'T SEE ANY. I'M SORRY.))
[SUPER=01-Machail Sharov/Hiker;]
[RUNS=:25]
[OUT Q=I'm Sorry.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Sharov flew back to Georgia last night.
(------------)
Turning your attention now to the forecast--
Clouds and showers will dominate the weather picture today...with highs not making it out of the 70s.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Scattered Showers/75-80/Mostly Cloudy/Possible Showers/65-70;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)
Today federal investigators are expected to begin sifting through the scattered debris of yesterday afternoon's plane crash in Lexington.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/Yesterday;]
State police say a pilot and passenger were killed when the 1959 piper style plane nose dived in downtown Lexington.
Witnesses say one of the victim's either jumped or fell out of the plane and died instantly.
The other victim died moments later when the plane crashed on nearby Washington Street.
Witnesses say the plane appeared to be losing parts in the air as it approached the city.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We heard]
((DANNY HAMILTON/WITNESS: WE HEARD A NOISE LIKE A PLANE IN TROUBLE AND IT JUST MADE A SPUTTERING NOISE AND ALL OF SUDDEN IT JUST, YOU HEARD A BOOM.))
[SUPER=01-Danny Hamilton/Witness;]
[RUNS=07 approx.]
[OUT Q=heard a boom.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
State police say the plane had just made a stop in Martinsburg, West Virginia and was headed for South Carolina but do not know where it originally took off from.
Authorities did recover two wallets but have not released any names.
No one on the ground was seriously injured.
(------------)
[8-11Senate-Race]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-31 TC32:14]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]
In the race for Virginia's senate seat, a new poll shows George Allen up by eight points.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Charlottesville;]
At a campaign stop yesterday in Charlottesville, Chuck Robb attributed his underdog status to the fact that Allen had been governor more recently -- which he considers a higher profile position in the eyes of Virginia voters.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14:58:20]
[IN Q=I'm not]
((SEN. CHUCK ROBB/(D) U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: I'M NOT INTIMIDATED. I HAVEN'T BEEN INTIMIDATED FROM THE BEGINNING. BUT, HAVING SAID THAT, I'VE ACKNOWLEDGED FROM THE VERY OUTSET THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A TOUGH CAMPAIGN. I TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED. I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED NOW. I'M GOING TO FIGHT HARD. MY MESSAGE IS JUST BEGINNING TO REACH THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS, AND IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME.))
[SUPER=201-Sen. Chuck Robb/(D) U. S. Senate Candidate; ]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=some time.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
A spokesman for Allen says his campaign is encouraged by the poll.
But Press Secretary Tim Murtaugh says Robb's held statewide office for two decades in Virginia, and by now, voters should be familiar with him.
(------------)
[TALENT=]
[SS=None]
The Washington Post poll shows Robb leading only in southwest and northern Virginia.
A man who used a rusty crowbar to kill a Virginia Beach woman and her five year old daughter has been executed.
(XXXXXXXX)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN BOARD]
Russel Burket died by injection at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt last night.
Governor Gilmore denied a request for clemency.
When asked if he had a final statement, Burket shook his head and said nothing.
(-------------)
Before we wrap up this morning-- here's another look at the Thursday forecast.
Cloudy skies with scattered showers...highs near 80.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Scattered Showers/75-80/Mostly Cloudy/Possible Showers/65-70;]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)
[SUPER=#555;RESET]