Friday, Sept. 19, 2014

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I N D I A N A D A I LY S T U D E N T | F R I D AY, S E P T. 1 9 , 2 0 1 4 | I D S N E W S . C O M

IDS

IKE HAJINAZARIAN | IDS

Van Buren Township Fire Department Deputy Chief Ed Terrell, left, and Ellettsville Fire Department Chief Mike Cornman investigate the scene of a plane crash Thursday near the Monroe County Airport.

2 DEAD IN PLANE CRASH By Anicka Slachta aslachta@indiana.edu | @ajslachta

On the almost cloudless Thursday afternoon, seven miles from the Monroe County Airport, the pilot of the single-engine plane reported a low fuel indicator. The airport didn’t hear from the pilot again. In the aftermath of the crash, investigators determined the plane went down sometime shortly before 1 p.m. As first responders arrived, Indiana State Police officials confirmed at least two fatalities and later determined there were no survivors. Residents who live on North Oard Road near the crash site tried to make sense of the explosive sound and the black smoke. Tearing through a shed behind a residence in a nearby wooded area, the charred remains of the plane were scattered. Bruce Payton, airport director at Monroe County Airport, and others responded to the call — an “alert 3.” Although Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Specialist Steve Burnham couldn’t say whether the plane caught flames in the air or on the ground, fire destroyed most of the aircraft and burned the passengers’ bodies beyond recognition, Monroe County Coroner Nicole Meyer said. The individuals were later identified as both males, Meyer said. To identify them further, officials will conduct DNA tests and compare them with dental records. The plane, which was believed to be en route to the airport, went down in a heavily wooded area on private property SEE CRASH, PAGE 6

NORTH OARD ROAD

NORTH COLLEGE AVENUE

NORTH HARTSTRAIT ROAD

Crash occurred west of IU-Bloomington campus 46 WEST VERNAL PIKE

WEST THIRD STREET

MONROE COUNTY AIRPORT WEST AIRPORT ROAD

10TH STREET

EAST THIRD STREET

37

SOUTH KIRBY ROAD

Police: no survivors in airplane crash near N. Oard Road

KEY Approximate site of crash

45

Indiana Memorial Union

FAA: Plane home-built, flown without valid registration By Holly Hays hvhays@indiana.edu | @hollyvhays

Not much is known about the plane that crashed near North Oard Road outside Bloomington’s west side Thursday afternoon. What is known, however, is the tail number was N5160W, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Tony Molinaro. The tail number unlocks at least some information regarding the aircraft. This particular aircraft’s registration expired in November 2013. Before the registration lapsed, the aircraft was in the name of James F. Akin of Aurora, Co., according to the Fed-

eral Aviation Administration website. As of Sept. 18, the FAA listed the aircraft’s registration as not renewed, listing “expiration” as the reason for its cancellation. Therefore, at the time of flight, the aircraft did not have a current registration listed with the FAA. Akin is also listed as the manufacturer, which means Akin built the aircraft himself, Molinaro said. “That means it’s a home-built aircraft,” Molinaro said. “That was the owner and the person that built the plane.” The FAA registry lists the reservation on the N-number, or the tail number of the plane, as being on hold without a reserving party.

Molinaro said there is no way to be certain of why this is, but a possible explanation would be that the plane was recently sold but the registration had not yet been completed in the new owner’s name. The registration certificate for the 1995 Hurricane model aircraft was issued to Akin in August 2007. The plane was a single-engine aircraft. Due to the condition of the wreckage, there is no way to determine how many passengers were on board. The remains of two men were found in the wreckage, but their bodies were not immediately identifiable, according to a statement from the Indiana State Police.

Lotus Festival continues through Saturday, Sunday By Lindsay Moore liramoor@indiana.edu | @_lindsaymoore

NICOLE KRASEAN | IDS

A member of Söndörgó plays during the Opening Concert of the Lotus Festival on Thursday at Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

Fast fingers and swift feet kicked off the 21st annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival Thursday evening. IU students and Bloomington community members gathered in the Buskirk-Chumley Theater to enjoy the musical stylings of Hungarian group Söndörgó and Italian ensemble Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino. Starting off their first American tour, the Balkan group Söndörgó opened the Lotus Festival with their fast-paced folk music.

Söndörgó uses the tambura, a small string instrument similar to a mandolin. Halfway through their performance, Söndörgó changed their string instruments for some wind, percussion and an accordion. The Lotus Festival crowd responded enthusiastically, clapping, cheering and even dancing along. “Every now and then you find these new gems that you want to go hear so its (Lotus Festival) kind of figuring that out and finding that,” Mary Clare Bauman, Lotus Festival board member said. Opening night continued with

traditional Italian dance and music from Cazoniere Grecanico Salentino. This was the pizzica group’s second time preforming at the Lotus Festival, as they were a crowd favorite when they took the stage in 2011. For one night only, the six-person ensemble excited the Lotus audience with their powerful percussions and smooth violin. The crowd cheered as each individual member entered with his instrument — smoothly transitioning into the ensemble. The Lotus Festival continues SEE LOTUS, PAGE 6


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