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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 6, 1993                   TAG: 9304060024
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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NO CLUES IN KULWICKI PLANE CRASH

National Transportation Safety Board investigators have found nothing that would point to a cause of Thursday night's plane crash outside Blountville, Tenn., that killed NASCAR Winston Cup champion Alan Kulwicki and three others, a spokesman said Monday.

"Nothing has been ruled in and nothing has been ruled out," NTSB spokesman Brent Behler said. "The engines and propellers will be closely examined. The engines will be torn down for careful examination.

"Beyond that, we do not expect any significant developments or information to be available for another several months. When you get into that phase, things go rather slowly."

Behler said the Federal Aviation Administration's Atlanta radar last recorded the twin-engine turboprop Merlin aircraft at 9:27 p.m. and 30 seconds when it was flying at 1,900 feet six miles northeast of Tri-City Airport near Bristol, Tenn.

The plane, owned by Kulwicki's sponsor, the Hooters restaurant chain, was carrying the driver from a public appearance in Knoxville to the weekend's NASCAR racing activities at Bristol International Raceway.

The tower controller at Tri-City Airport first sensed trouble when Kulwicki's pilot, Charlie Campbell, failed to acknowledge his clearance to land, Behler said.

"That was followed by an unknown transmission - just radio noise," Behler said.

Mike Colyer, Dale Earnhardt's pilot, who was landing just ahead of Kulwicki's plane, on Saturday described that noise as the sound of the crash.

Behler said the aircraft "crashed in a left wing, nose down attitude and was pretty much consumed by post-impact fire."

Keywords:
AUTO RACING FATALITY

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