Another GA crash in CA

[John Doe]

Ex-Game Show Host, Wife Die in Plane Crash

SANTA MONICA, Calif. Mar 13, 2006 (AP)- A former TV game show host and his
wife were killed Monday morning when their small plane crashed into Santa
Monica Bay, authorities said. Rescue crews were searching for a third person
also aboard the plane.

The bodies of Peter Tomarken, 63, host of the hit 1980s game show "Press
Your Luck," and his wife, Kathleen Abigail Tomarken, 41, were identified by
the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

The plane was on its way to San Diego to ferry a medical patient to the UCLA
Medical Center, said Doug Griffith, a spokesman for Angel Flight West, a
nonprofit which provides free air transportation for needy patients.

Griffith said the pilot was a volunteer for the group. According to the FAA,
the plane was registered to Tomarken and he was the pilot.

The plane apparently had engine trouble and was headed back to Santa Monica
Airport, located about two miles inland, but went down about 9:35 a.m. just
off shore, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer.

Rescue boats and divers searching for the third person believed to be aboard
the plane were clustered about a half-mile southwest of the Santa Monica
Pier where the plane went down in about 19 feet of water.

Luis Garr said he didn't hear the engine but heard the splash as the plane
"kind of landed into the water."

"It's a big splash, a huge splash. . Then it started going down," Garr said.
"The wings were still floating so I was, `Get out! Get out!' because the
door was still available to get out and nobody came out. So the plane kept
going down, down, down."

Tomarken's death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight."

"Press Your Luck" was known for contestants shouting the slogan "Big bucks!
No whammies!"

Tomarken's agent, Fred Wostbrock, said his client's first game show was "Hit
Man!," which ran 13 weeks on NBC, followed by the four-year hit "Press Your
Luck" on CBS. He also was on "Bargain Hunters," "Wipe-Out" and "Paranoia."

"He was always a fun guy to be around, and he just loved the genre of game
shows," Wostbrock said.


Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[John Doe]

Sucks that this was an Angel flight mission.


"John Doe" > wrote in message
news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04...
> Ex-Game Show Host, Wife Die in Plane Crash
>
> SANTA MONICA, Calif. Mar 13, 2006 (AP)- A former TV game show host and his
> wife were killed Monday morning when their small plane crashed into Santa
> Monica Bay, authorities said. Rescue crews were searching for a third
> person also aboard the plane.
>
> The bodies of Peter Tomarken, 63, host of the hit 1980s game show "Press
> Your Luck," and his wife, Kathleen Abigail Tomarken, 41, were identified
> by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
>
> The plane was on its way to San Diego to ferry a medical patient to the
> UCLA Medical Center, said Doug Griffith, a spokesman for Angel Flight
> West, a nonprofit which provides free air transportation for needy
> patients.
>
> Griffith said the pilot was a volunteer for the group. According to the
> FAA, the plane was registered to Tomarken and he was the pilot.
>
> The plane apparently had engine trouble and was headed back to Santa
> Monica Airport, located about two miles inland, but went down about 9:35
> a.m. just off shore, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen
> Kenitzer.
>
> Rescue boats and divers searching for the third person believed to be
> aboard the plane were clustered about a half-mile southwest of the Santa
> Monica Pier where the plane went down in about 19 feet of water.
>
> Luis Garr said he didn't hear the engine but heard the splash as the plane
> "kind of landed into the water."
>
> "It's a big splash, a huge splash. . Then it started going down," Garr
> said. "The wings were still floating so I was, `Get out! Get out!' because
> the door was still available to get out and nobody came out. So the plane
> kept going down, down, down."
>
> Tomarken's death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight."
>
> "Press Your Luck" was known for contestants shouting the slogan "Big
> bucks! No whammies!"
>
> Tomarken's agent, Fred Wostbrock, said his client's first game show was
> "Hit Man!," which ran 13 weeks on NBC, followed by the four-year hit
> "Press Your Luck" on CBS. He also was on "Bargain Hunters," "Wipe-Out" and
> "Paranoia."
>
> "He was always a fun guy to be around, and he just loved the genre of game
> shows," Wostbrock said.
>
>
> Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
> may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
>
>

[Skywise]

"John Doe" > wrote in
news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04:

<Snipola>
> Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
> may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

OOPS!!!! ;)

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?

[Aluckyguess]

"John Doe" > wrote in message
news:IArRf.54774$Dh.29780@dukeread04...
> Sucks that this was an Angel flight mission.
>
It just plain sucks.
>
> "John Doe" > wrote in message
> news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04...
>> Ex-Game Show Host, Wife Die in Plane Crash
>>
>> SANTA MONICA, Calif. Mar 13, 2006 (AP)- A former TV game show host and
>> his wife were killed Monday morning when their small plane crashed into
>> Santa Monica Bay, authorities said. Rescue crews were searching for a
>> third person also aboard the plane.
>>
>> The bodies of Peter Tomarken, 63, host of the hit 1980s game show "Press
>> Your Luck," and his wife, Kathleen Abigail Tomarken, 41, were identified
>> by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
>>
>> The plane was on its way to San Diego to ferry a medical patient to the
>> UCLA Medical Center, said Doug Griffith, a spokesman for Angel Flight
>> West, a nonprofit which provides free air transportation for needy
>> patients.
>>
>> Griffith said the pilot was a volunteer for the group. According to the
>> FAA, the plane was registered to Tomarken and he was the pilot.
>>
>> The plane apparently had engine trouble and was headed back to Santa
>> Monica Airport, located about two miles inland, but went down about 9:35
>> a.m. just off shore, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen
>> Kenitzer.
>>
>> Rescue boats and divers searching for the third person believed to be
>> aboard the plane were clustered about a half-mile southwest of the Santa
>> Monica Pier where the plane went down in about 19 feet of water.
>>
>> Luis Garr said he didn't hear the engine but heard the splash as the
>> plane "kind of landed into the water."
>>
>> "It's a big splash, a huge splash. . Then it started going down," Garr
>> said. "The wings were still floating so I was, `Get out! Get out!'
>> because the door was still available to get out and nobody came out. So
>> the plane kept going down, down, down."
>>
>> Tomarken's death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight."
>>
>> "Press Your Luck" was known for contestants shouting the slogan "Big
>> bucks! No whammies!"
>>
>> Tomarken's agent, Fred Wostbrock, said his client's first game show was
>> "Hit Man!," which ran 13 weeks on NBC, followed by the four-year hit
>> "Press Your Luck" on CBS. He also was on "Bargain Hunters," "Wipe-Out"
>> and "Paranoia."
>>
>> "He was always a fun guy to be around, and he just loved the genre of
>> game shows," Wostbrock said.
>>
>>
>> Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
>> may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
>>
>>
>
>

[[email protected]]

> Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
> may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


OOPS!!!! ;)

Brian


/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


Don't worry about it. After all they those californians let off OJ
too...........................................

Ben

[[email protected]]

benford wrote:
>Don't worry about it. After all they those californians let off OJ
>too...........................................

Yea, but OJ was very very rich, very very famous, and could get all
those scummy lawyers.
He could inflate his hand so it didn't fit the glove.
Brian doesn't have any of those advantages....

The crash sucks. It sucks even more because it was an Angel Flight.

[Darkwing]

"John Doe" > wrote in message
news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04...
> Ex-Game Show Host, Wife Die in Plane Crash
>
> SANTA MONICA, Calif. Mar 13, 2006 (AP)- A former TV game show host and his
> wife were killed Monday morning when their small plane crashed into Santa
> Monica Bay, authorities said. Rescue crews were searching for a third
> person also aboard the plane.


Looked like a straight tail Bonanza on TV.

--------------------------------------------
DW

[xyzzy]

Darkwing wrote:
> "John Doe" > wrote in message
> news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04...
> > Ex-Game Show Host, Wife Die in Plane Crash
> >
> > SANTA MONICA, Calif. Mar 13, 2006 (AP)- A former TV game show host and his
> > wife were killed Monday morning when their small plane crashed into Santa
> > Monica Bay, authorities said. Rescue crews were searching for a third
> > person also aboard the plane.
>
>
> Looked like a straight tail Bonanza on TV.

yup, here's a picture of it in happier times:

http://tinyurl.com/fhl2y

[Peter R.]

xyzzy > wrote:

> Darkwing wrote:
>> "John Doe" > wrote in message
>> news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04...
>>> Ex-Game Show Host, Wife Die in Plane Crash
>>>
>>> SANTA MONICA, Calif. Mar 13, 2006 (AP)- A former TV game show host and his
>>> wife were killed Monday morning when their small plane crashed into Santa
>>> Monica Bay, authorities said. Rescue crews were searching for a third
>>> person also aboard the plane.
>>
>>
>> Looked like a straight tail Bonanza on TV.
>
> yup, here's a picture of it in happier times:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/fhl2y

And here is the last flight track of its final flight:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N16JR

--
Peter

[Edward Todd]

>> Luis Garr said he didn't hear the engine but heard the splash as the
> >> plane "kind of landed into the water."
> >>
> >> "It's a big splash, a huge splash. . Then it started going down," Garr
> >> said. "The wings were still floating so I was, `Get out! Get out!'
> >> because the door was still available to get out and nobody came out. So
> >> the plane kept going down, down, down."
> >>


Sounds like a good ditch and plane intact. But no evacuation? Pilot
may have been knocked unconsciuos upon landing and passengers did not
know how to get out and paniced ... going down. Terrible way to go. :(

[Henry]

> And here is the last flight track of its final flight:
>
> http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N16JR
>

<Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking>
If they were attempting a return to the airport, why not turn right instead
of left ? Looks like they could have made the beach or surf near it. Maybe
its all rocks there, not familiar with the area.
</Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking>

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Henry wrote:
>> And here is the last flight track of its final flight:
>>
>> http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N16JR
>>
>
> <Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking>
> If they were attempting a return to the airport, why not turn right instead
> of left ? Looks like they could have made the beach or surf near it. Maybe
> its all rocks there, not familiar with the area.
> </Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking>


I wondered what killed them. The picture I saw on the TV showed what looked
like a Bonanza sitting in the surf with the water up to the bottom of the
windows. It looked pretty intact to me.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

[Darkwing]

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" > wrote in message
...
> Henry wrote:
>>> And here is the last flight track of its final flight:
>>>
>>> http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N16JR
>>>
>>
>> <Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking>
>> If they were attempting a return to the airport, why not turn right
>> instead
>> of left ? Looks like they could have made the beach or surf near it.
>> Maybe
>> its all rocks there, not familiar with the area.
>> </Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking>
>
>
> I wondered what killed them. The picture I saw on the TV showed what
> looked like a Bonanza sitting in the surf with the water up to the bottom
> of the windows. It looked pretty intact to me.
>
>
>


I agree, it looked like the plane was in decent shape other than water
logged, maybe they were knocked out and drowned, either way it totally
SUX's.

--------------------------------------------------
DW

[Skywise]

" > wrote in news:1142347260.394039.183530
@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com:

>> Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
>> may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
>
>
> OOPS!!!! ;)
>
> Brian
>
>
> /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>
>
> Don't worry about it. After all they those californians let off OJ
> too...........................................
>
> Ben
>

Oh, I wasn't worried. I just thought it was funny.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?

[John Doe]

"Skywise" > wrote in message
...
> "John Doe" > wrote in
> news:BorRf.54767$Dh.37501@dukeread04:
>
> <Snipola>
>> Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
>> may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
>
> OOPS!!!! ;)
>

Bummer....throw me in cyber-jail.

[Ben Hallert]

I've flown out of there a lot, and if you're routed over LAX VFR, it's
usually via the Special Flight Rules corridor. Out of KSMO runway 21,
you'll do a right climbing 270 to set up for SFR heading southeast.

Looking at his radar track, I can only speculate that he was either
doing the above with a really wide 270 when the engine failed, or that
he was actually doing the standard shoreline departure north and this
wasn't the actual Angel Flight yet.

Ben Hallert
PP-ASEL - http://hallert.net/cozy/

[Peter R.]

Ben Hallert > wrote:

> Looking at his radar track, I can only speculate that he was either
> doing the above with a really wide 270 when the engine failed, or that
> he was actually doing the standard shoreline departure north and this
> wasn't the actual Angel Flight yet.

One of the articles I read stated that he was en route to pick up the AF
passengers out of a San Diego-based airport.

--
Peter

[.Blueskies.]

"Peter R." > wrote in message ...
> Ben Hallert > wrote:
>
>> Looking at his radar track, I can only speculate that he was either
>> doing the above with a really wide 270 when the engine failed, or that
>> he was actually doing the standard shoreline departure north and this
>> wasn't the actual Angel Flight yet.
>
> One of the articles I read stated that he was en route to pick up the AF
> passengers out of a San Diego-based airport.
>
> --
> Peter


Very odd with two others on board...Is this normal with these 'Angel' flights?

[Peter R.]

".Blueskies." > wrote:

> Very odd with two others on board...Is this normal with these 'Angel' flights?

In my 65 or so AF missions to date, I have taken along both pilot and
non-pilot acquaintances to a) help reduce the workload in busy airspace and
airports, and b) to keep me company on the "dead-head" leg of the trip.

As long as the right seater is understanding of the mission and acts in a
professional manner, especially when the AF patients are on board, I don't
see a problem with this. Angel Flight Northeast does not have any rule
prohibiting this, either.


--
Peter

[Blanche]

I've just received an email from the Angel Flight West office (I'm
an AFW pilot). The flight was not yet an official AFW flight, it
was "repositioning" to pick up the patient for the AF leg.

It is not at all unusual for us to have Mission Assistants along
on a flight. Frequently the patient will also have their own
accompanying passenger. I've flown flights with both (fortunately,
my favorite M.A. is about 100 pounds!). When the patient travels
with someone they know, they are always more comfortable.

The benefit of a Mission Assist. is that they can communicate and
assist the patient and pax with questions, water, etc. Not only
that, but as with all flights, regardless of reason, another pair
of knowledgeable eyes is always appreciated. Often, if the M.A.
is a rated pilot, it's a chance for them to get some flying time,
too. I'm always the PIC on the AF leg, as per AFW rules, tho.

Besides, it's nice to have company on the non-AF leg.
And let me tell you -- 3.5 hour legs by yourself is NOT fun!

Fortunately, we still have an unblemished record while flying
patients...but that doesn't change the fact we've lost someone
in our family.

[Peter R.]

Blanche > wrote:

> Besides, it's nice to have company on the non-AF leg.
> And let me tell you -- 3.5 hour legs by yourself is NOT fun!

I actually enjoy flying by myself, since it allows me to participate in all
things aviation (pireps, weather analysis, approach plate briefing,
plotting position along the way, etc.) without having to entertain
non-pilot passengers.

Last May I flew solo across the US in a Bonanza, only landing for fuel and
to quickly stretch my legs. Total flying time was around 13 hours. :)

> Fortunately, we still have an unblemished record while flying
> patients...but that doesn't change the fact we've lost someone
> in our family.

My deepest condolences to your group.

--
Peter