Toyota's top Prius executive dies in plane crash
#1
11-27-2006, 09:10 AM
Toyota's top Prius executive dies in plane crash
The Toyota executive who oversaw the popular Prius gas-electric hybrid car program died in a plane crash Saturday off the coast of California.
David W. Hermance, 59, died when the engine of his small plane evidently stopped working and he crashed into the sea off the coast of California, according to an eyewitness in a statement from Toyota.
Hermance was flying in his aerobatic Russian Yak airplane.
Gas-electric vehicles have grown in popularity in recent years as gas prices surged and concerns about global climate change have become more central to consumers.
David W. Hermance, 59, died when the engine of his small plane evidently stopped working and he crashed into the sea off the coast of California, according to an eyewitness in a statement from Toyota.
Hermance was flying in his aerobatic Russian Yak airplane.
Gas-electric vehicles have grown in popularity in recent years as gas prices surged and concerns about global climate change have become more central to consumers.
#3
01-01-2007, 06:28 AM
Re: Toyota's top Prius executive dies in plane crash
From the accident report:
National Transportation Safety Board, report LAX07LA047, accident date: 11/25/2006, registration number N4426X, Interavia E-3. The full report can be loaded from:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp
My sympathies are with the family. Folks in the Yahoo Groups remember his contributions from the early days of the Prius in the USA.
Bob Wilson
Originally Posted by NTSB_LAX07LA047
. . .
According to another co-owner of the airplane, the pilot departed Long Beach with the intent of practicing aerobatic maneuvers in the aerobatic box located off the coast of San Pedro. Witnesses reported observing the airplane conduct aerobatic maneuvers around 1,000 feet above the ocean. The airplane was seen at various times in rolls, loops, and stalls. One witness observed the airplane flying toward the east in a wings level attitude before it entered a nose down pitch attitude. The airplane was described, by many witnesses, to be between 50 and 70 degrees nose down when it impacted the water. All of the witnesses reported that the engine was running "hard" and "loud" throughout the final descent. In addition, all of the witnesses reported that the airplane sank immediately after impacting the water. Only one witness reported observing something separate from the airframe during the descent and make a secondary impact splash in the water following the airplane. This witness did not know what it was, and at first thought it was the pilot bailing out of the airplane. However, he did not observe a parachute during the descent.
. . .
According to another co-owner of the airplane, the pilot departed Long Beach with the intent of practicing aerobatic maneuvers in the aerobatic box located off the coast of San Pedro. Witnesses reported observing the airplane conduct aerobatic maneuvers around 1,000 feet above the ocean. The airplane was seen at various times in rolls, loops, and stalls. One witness observed the airplane flying toward the east in a wings level attitude before it entered a nose down pitch attitude. The airplane was described, by many witnesses, to be between 50 and 70 degrees nose down when it impacted the water. All of the witnesses reported that the engine was running "hard" and "loud" throughout the final descent. In addition, all of the witnesses reported that the airplane sank immediately after impacting the water. Only one witness reported observing something separate from the airframe during the descent and make a secondary impact splash in the water following the airplane. This witness did not know what it was, and at first thought it was the pilot bailing out of the airplane. However, he did not observe a parachute during the descent.
. . .
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp
My sympathies are with the family. Folks in the Yahoo Groups remember his contributions from the early days of the Prius in the USA.
Bob Wilson
Last edited by bwilson4web; 01-01-2007 at 06:33 AM.
#4
01-01-2007, 12:37 PM
Re: Toyota's top Prius executive dies in plane crash
From the accident report:
National Transportation Safety Board, report LAX07LA047, accident date: 11/25/2006, registration number N4426X, Interavia E-3. The full report can be loaded from:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp
My sympathies are with the family. Folks in the Yahoo Groups remember his contributions from the early days of the Prius in the USA.
Bob Wilson
National Transportation Safety Board, report LAX07LA047, accident date: 11/25/2006, registration number N4426X, Interavia E-3. The full report can be loaded from:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp
My sympathies are with the family. Folks in the Yahoo Groups remember his contributions from the early days of the Prius in the USA.
Bob Wilson
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