Adventist MD & family died in Airplane Crash in Montana

[Stan]

http://www.eyecarecenternv.com/env-jacobson.htm

SOURCE

9 p.m.A small plane crashed Sunday as it approached the airport in Butte, Montana, killing 14 to 17 people aboard, a federal official said.

The victims included a St.Helena family: Dr. Erin Jacobson, his wife Amy, and their three children Taylor, 4, Ava, 3, and Jude, 2.

The single engine turboprop nose-dived into a cemetery 500 feet from its destination.

The aircraft crashed and burned while attempting to land, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus. The plane crashed in Holy Cross Cemetery.

An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board offered few details at a press conference in Butte Sunday night. No cause of the crash was given.

"We are just beginning our investigation," said Kristi Dunks. "We don't have a lot of information at this time.

"Certain family members were contacted," she said. "At this point, I don't have an exact number."

Dunks would not say if there had been a distress call from the pilot. It was partly cloudy, the visibility was 10 miles and winds were blowing from the northwest around 10 mph at the time of the crash, according to hourly temperature information from the National Weather Service.

The aircraft had departed from Oroville, Calif., and the pilot had filed a flight plan showing a destination of Bozeman, about 85 miles southeast of Butte. But the pilot canceled his flight plan at some point and headed for Butte, Fergus said.

Preliminary reports indicate the dead include numerous children, he said.

"We think that it was probably a ski trip for the kids," Fergus said.

Butte Silver-Bow Sheriff John Walsh said there were a few people at the cemetery at the time of the crash, but no one on the ground was injured. He would not describe witness reports.

"I heard a loud bang," said Nick Dipasquale, 19, who was working at a gas station across the street. "It sounded like someone ran into the building."

He said he ran outside to see flames as tall as the trees.

Dipasquale said people who were fueling their cars said they saw the plane flying low, begin a turn, start to wobble and then slam into the ground.

Fergus said the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft was manufactured in 2001. Such planes are certified to carry 12 people.

The plane was registered to Eagle Cap Leasing Inc. in Enterprise, Ore., Fergus said. He didn't know who was operating the plane.

I. Felkamp is listed in Oregon corporate records as Eagle Cap's president. Attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful.

The flight originated at Brown Field Municipal airport in San Diego on Saturday evening and flew to Redlands, Calif., where it left Sunday morning for Vacaville, Calif., according to Flight Aware, a Web site that tracks air traffic. From there it flew to Oroville, Calif., and then to Butte. The NTSB could not confirm that information.

"We are still gathering the information of the aircraft, it's purpose, what they were doing and where they were going," Dunks said.

In California, Tom Hagler said he saw a group of about a dozen children and four adults Sunday morning at the Oroville Municipal Airport, about 70 miles north of Sacramento.

Hagler, owner of Table Mountain Aviation, described the children as ranging from about 6- to 10 year olds. He let the children into his building to use the restroom.

"There were a lot of kids in the group," he said. "A lot of really cute kids."

Hagler said he showed the pilot where he could fuel his plane, and the pilot said he expected his flight to take two-and-a-half hours. The pilot didn't file a flight plan at the Oroville airport.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway said its investigators were expected to arrive in Butte late Sunday or early Monday.

The crash is the fourth major plane accident in the U.S. in slightly more than three months.

On Dec. 20, Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at Denver International Airport, injuring 37 people. No one was killed. In January, a US Airways jetliner landed in New York's Hudson River after a flock of geese disabled both its engines. All 155 people onboard survived. Last month, commuter plane fell on a house in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y., killing all 49 passengers and a man in the home.

Before the Buffalo crash there hadn't been an accident involving a commercial airliner in the U.S. in which there were fatalities in more than two years.

[Key Guy]

"...killing 14 to 17 people aboard"

"Fergus said the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft was manufactured in 2001. Such planes are certified to carry 12 people."

I hope one of the above facts is incorrect.

[Outta Here]

I was thinking about that too, KeyGuy. But, several aboard were children, perhaps they were still under the total weight limit. Other reports I've read indicate that these planes are designed to seat 6-8 passengers.

[Key Guy]

A radio news report this morning is indicating that the investigators are focusing on the weight on-board: passengers and fuel. The fact that the flight apparently was to go to Bozeman, yet went to Butte instead, is another concern.

From the NYTimes online...

"The National Transportation Safety Board said there had been 15 Pilatus accidents since 2001, 6 of them involving fatalities. A safety board database indicated that the aircraft that crashed had not been involved in any previous accidents."

Fifteen since '01? Hmmm.

[Outta Here]

15! That's astronomical, really! Wow.

[Key Guy]

From the 'comments' section of: http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10050868&nav=menu227_7

"I was at the Quality Supply store when the plane went down. I happend to see the black smoke then the huge flames. Then back to black smoke. From then on it became really scary. People were comming out of the stores, on their cell phones and a bit of panic was in the air. When the fire truck passed by they really had to lay on the horn to get cars to pull over. Then cars started to race from the Walmart area and through the dirt lot to the Dollar Tree and Quality parking lot to get to scene. Then the police tried to block off Harrison and diverted cars past Quality. I live out of Butte towards the scene and when I tried to get home, drivers were not paying attention to their driving. People were running down the streets towards the scene. The gas station accross the Cemetery was full of cars and people trying to get a look at the crash. People driving through the gas station at fast speeds to try to get a better look. I really feel for the emergency crew/police. They were trying to do their job and it didn't matter that maybe they were trying to secure the area and make it safe for everyone. I am really surpised that there was no accidents while I was trying to get out of town. I am very sad to learn that so many had died in the plane crash. It grabs at my heart strings to learn that there were children on that plane as well. I hurt for their loved ones."

[Key Guy]

AccuWeather.com reports the weather conditions which promote icing may have contributed to the Montana crash. The plane was flying amid a low cloud deck below 5,000 feet, with a saturated freezing layer between 1,000-2,000 feet. The upper air observations showed a layer around 1,500 feet, the temperatures were below freezing and the air had 100% relative humidity or was saturated.

According to AccuWeather.com meteorologists, these conditions have the potential to encourage accumulating ice on the wings of airplanes, which negatively impacts a plane's ability to control its altitude properly when landing.

[Key Guy]

Just received this email from an Adventist friend who knows:

"Some of you know by now of the plane crash which took the lives of 17 people in Butte Montana. It took the entire Erin Jacobson family. Erin is the son of John and Judy Rick-Jacobson. Judy is the sister of our son-in-law, Glen Rick, Carol's husband. John is a thoracic surgeon who Emmett works with at St.Helena. Erin was an ophthalmologist with offices at St Helena and Napal.

The plane apparently stalled just short of the runway and nosedived into the ground. There were no survivers. It apparently was on a skiing trip, destination, Bozeman. Besides the 3 Jacobson children, there were several other children on board.

Please add your prayers for comfort and understanding."

[Gail]

Thanks for posting this, Keyguy. I was just at Glen Rick's Facebook page and have given him and Carol (I've known them for years, too) my condolences.

Someone at the office was saying that one of the little tots was at the wedding of our former local youth pastor, who moved to California last year.

I'm just getting over the recent death of my cousin's wife last week. I have a fresh feeling of how the untimely, sudden death of someone affects the family and extended family and circle of friends.

So tragic. :(

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

From the Northern California Conference:

Quote:

New - Three Northern California Families Die in Plane Crash

It is with incredible sadness that we heard the news that three Adventist families from Northern California were on the plane that went down on Sunday, March 22, in Butte, Montana. Six adults with their seven children, plus the pilot, lost their lives on their way to a ski vacation. Nine of those onboard were from the same family. Amy Jacobson and Vanessa Pullen were sisters.

The Jacobson family – Erin and Amy, with their three children, Taylor, Ava, and Jude – were members of the Pacific Union College church in Angwin, Calif.

"Both Erin and Amy were strong in their faith and dedicated to service," said Pacific Union College Associate Pastor John Hughson. According to the website for Erin’s ophthalmology practice, he was “active in mission work and performed eye surgery in Haiti and the Dominican Repubic.”

The Pullen family – Michael and Vanessa, with their two children Sydney and Christopher – were members of the Lodi-English Oaks church.

"They were wonderful people and very involved in our school," said Stephanie Ward, whose daughter was a classmate of the Pullen's daughter at Lodi Adventist Elementary School.

The Ching family – Brent and Kristen, with their two children, Hailey and Caleb – were attending the Chico and the Paradise churches.

"They were a very happy couple who were part of our young adult group in our church family and will be deeply missed," said Paradise Church Senior Pastor Ben Maxson.

All but one of the adults on the plane graduated from or attended Pacific Union College. “This is a very personal tragedy for Pacific Union College,” said a release from the college. “There are many on our campus who remember them as students.”

Members throughout the Northern California Conference continue to express shock and grief over the loss of these three families.

Vacaville/Woodland District Pastor Loyd Henderson said that even when he talked to Adventists who didn't know the family, "They are devastated about it. They have seen the news, and then to find it's Adventists . . . people are calling each other."

Because the loss was so great, there are a number of churches in Northern California directly affected. “Please hold in your thoughts and prayers all of the families who have lost these loved ones. This is a tragic loss and it will be felt in many of our church communities where these families touched the lives of those around them,” said Jim Pedersen, president of the Northern California Conference. “I pray that the day will come soon when God will wipe away these tears, and we will again see our loved ones in heaven.”

http://ncc.adventist.org/article.php?id=743

[Pockey]

I'm stunned. Erin Jacobson was one of the nicest persons ever.

[Stan]

His family has made a significant contribution to the work at large, they funded roofs for 1,000 of Churches in Africa and other places, they funded some of the initial set up for 3ABN and are just all great people.

[Gail]

His grandfather helped build our academy here... very active family

[John317]

Gail, I think if nothing else this should teach us that as a church we are all family.

[phkrause]

absolutely John, couldn't have said it better myself.

pk

[Key Guy]

From News10, Sacramento CA

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=57324&catid=2

Quote:

LODI, CA - More than 1,000 mourners paid respects to Galt's Pullen family Friday, one of three families killed in a Montana plane crash last month.

At the Lodi-Fairmont Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Lodi, services were held for Michael and Vanessa Pullen and their children, Sydney and Chris. They were among the 14 people killed March 22 when a private plane slammed into a cemetery near Butte, Montana. The families were heading to Bozeman for a week-long ski vacation at a private resort.

"More times in the past week than we've ever said is how much we love each other," said Buddy FeldKamp, Vanessa Pullen's brother. "We kind of take advantage of this time to really tell each other how we feel, realizing that we're not here forever. There's no guarantees."

Dr. Michael Pullen, 39, was a dentist practicing in Valley Springs. His wife Vanessa, 37, was a pediatrician with a practice in Elk Grove. They lived with their children in Galt, just a few doors down from other family members.

"My oldest daughter Pearl mentioned, 'We loved going down to play at Vanessa's because we could go out in back and play, get muddy and dirty and Aunt Vanessa wouldn't get mad at us,'" recalled Jeff Nevis, Michael Pullen's brother-in-law. "It was a great situation, couldn't be happier."

Sydney Pullen was 9-years-old. Chris was 7-years-old. Both children attended Lodi Seventh-Day Adventist School.

The loss was compounded because Vanessa Pullen's sister, Amy Jacobson of St. Helena and her family were also killed. A third family in the plane, the Chings of Durham, were close family friends. The pilot was also a longtime family friend.

While a preliminary investigation confirmed the pilot asked twice to divert to Butte instead of the planned destination of Bozeman, National Transportation and Safety Board investigators say the pilot seemed calm and gave no indication of any problems, nor did he give any reason to divert to the different airport.

"We're waiting to find out but we can't change it. There's nothing we can do about that," said Nevis. "To be quite honest with you, for myself, it's basically a non-issue. It happened."

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