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CNN Sunday Morning

Investigators Continue to Look Into Plane Crash in Minnesota

Aired October 27, 2002 - 09:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Eveleth, Minnesota, where investigators are looking for the cause of the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone and seven others. That accident could change the power structure in Washington, and CNN has just learned that Minnesota's Democratic Party wants former Vice President Walter Mondale to replace Wellstone on the state's Senate ballot. We'll have more on this later, but right now, let's go to CNN's Ed Lavandera, who is following the plane crash investigation -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Arthel. It's just after 8:00 here Central time. And investigators are starting to make their way out back to the crash site this morning, which is about two miles away from the small municipal airport here in Eveleth, Minneapolis (sic), in the far northern part of the state. So investigators returning to the site this morning.

Also, there are about a half dozen family members who will be taken to the crash site around 11:30 this morning. They'll be allowed to have a private memorial service there at the crash site. We do also understand that Senator Paul Wellstone's son had gone out to the crash site on Friday, and also another family member had also visited the site yesterday as well. So that's part of what will be happening here this morning.

But the investigation here continues, as investigators try to figure out what exactly happened here to this King Air A-100 twin jet plane that Wellstone, his wife, daughter, as well as three campaign staff members and two of the airplane personnel were flying Friday morning.

One of the things that has slowed down this investigation, perhaps, is that the airplane did not have a cockpit voice recorder. It wasn't required to have one, but that plane wasn't able to have -- didn't have to have one, and the owner and the operator of the plane didn't have one installed, either, so that has slowed down some of the investigative techniques that these investigators would have been able to use. But they continue to look for, and one of the things that they are looking for is the that way the plane crashed, the direction it was pointed in. Investigators here on the ground saying that that is yielding a few clues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL CARMODY, ACTING CHAIRWOMAN, NTSB: The aircraft was not on the -- not aligned with the right -- with the runway center. It appeared to be headed south, and it was about 90 degrees off of what would be a routine approach. We don't know why this is. We'll try and find out. But it was off. The angle was steeper than would be expected in a normal standardized, stabilized approach.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Now, this crash site, which is about two miles away from that airport where Wellstone was trying -- the plane was trying to land on Friday morning, very difficult to reach. So investigators having to work through a very difficult conditions and trying to gather as much information as possible.

They have been able to figure out that the engines on the plane were working at the time of the crash. But as you've been able to see from the video images, it was a very hard crash, and the witnesses said it was a very fiery crash as well.

A public memorial service has been set up for the Wellstone family, and that will be held Tuesday night at 6:30 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. And it is a public event. The public is welcome to attend, and that is scheduled for 6:30 Tuesday night. Arthel, back to you.

NEVILLE: Ed Lavandera, thank you very much for that report.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Minnesota>


Aired October 27, 2002 - 09:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Eveleth, Minnesota, where investigators are looking for the cause of the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone and seven others. That accident could change the power structure in Washington, and CNN has just learned that Minnesota's Democratic Party wants former Vice President Walter Mondale to replace Wellstone on the state's Senate ballot. We'll have more on this later, but right now, let's go to CNN's Ed Lavandera, who is following the plane crash investigation -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Arthel. It's just after 8:00 here Central time. And investigators are starting to make their way out back to the crash site this morning, which is about two miles away from the small municipal airport here in Eveleth, Minneapolis (sic), in the far northern part of the state. So investigators returning to the site this morning.

Also, there are about a half dozen family members who will be taken to the crash site around 11:30 this morning. They'll be allowed to have a private memorial service there at the crash site. We do also understand that Senator Paul Wellstone's son had gone out to the crash site on Friday, and also another family member had also visited the site yesterday as well. So that's part of what will be happening here this morning.

But the investigation here continues, as investigators try to figure out what exactly happened here to this King Air A-100 twin jet plane that Wellstone, his wife, daughter, as well as three campaign staff members and two of the airplane personnel were flying Friday morning.

One of the things that has slowed down this investigation, perhaps, is that the airplane did not have a cockpit voice recorder. It wasn't required to have one, but that plane wasn't able to have -- didn't have to have one, and the owner and the operator of the plane didn't have one installed, either, so that has slowed down some of the investigative techniques that these investigators would have been able to use. But they continue to look for, and one of the things that they are looking for is the that way the plane crashed, the direction it was pointed in. Investigators here on the ground saying that that is yielding a few clues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL CARMODY, ACTING CHAIRWOMAN, NTSB: The aircraft was not on the -- not aligned with the right -- with the runway center. It appeared to be headed south, and it was about 90 degrees off of what would be a routine approach. We don't know why this is. We'll try and find out. But it was off. The angle was steeper than would be expected in a normal standardized, stabilized approach.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Now, this crash site, which is about two miles away from that airport where Wellstone was trying -- the plane was trying to land on Friday morning, very difficult to reach. So investigators having to work through a very difficult conditions and trying to gather as much information as possible.

They have been able to figure out that the engines on the plane were working at the time of the crash. But as you've been able to see from the video images, it was a very hard crash, and the witnesses said it was a very fiery crash as well.

A public memorial service has been set up for the Wellstone family, and that will be held Tuesday night at 6:30 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. And it is a public event. The public is welcome to attend, and that is scheduled for 6:30 Tuesday night. Arthel, back to you.

NEVILLE: Ed Lavandera, thank you very much for that report.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Minnesota>