Three in hospital after GSP crash

Officials say aircraft was in Upstate for repairs

by John Boyanoski

Two men are in serious, but stable condition and a third is fair after being injured in a morning airplane crash at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

An 11-seat King B200 owned by Virginia-based MDTR Holdings hit a guardrail, cleared Highway 14, hit another guardrail and then came to rest in a field just short of the Greenville-Spartanburg International runway at 10:11 a.m., said Rosylin Weston, an airport spokeswoman.

Ed Wilk, a 12-year employee of Stevens Aviation, is listed in fair condition, and Derrick Holliday, a nine-year employee, is listed in serious, but stable condition at Greenville Memorial Hospital,

The pilot’s name has not been released, but he is listed in serious, but stable condition as well at the hospital.

The plane had flown into Greenville from Norfolk International Sunday night for routine maintenance at the Stevens Aviation facility here, said Neal McGrail. The plane had been serviced at Stevens’ Ohio facilities last year.

At some point this morning, the pilot asked the two Stevens’ employees to fly with him so he could show them things he wanted worked on with the plane, which is standard procedure, McGrail said.

The company, which was once a branch of J.P. Stevens Textiles, services about 15 planes a week at the GSP facility. The company has more than 650 employees at five airports across the country selling, repairing and chartering airplanes for private persons and companies.

Stevens and National Transportation Safety Board officials are still investigating what caused the crash. McGrath said they would not have flown if they perceived a problem with the plane’s equipment.

Federal records show no history of prior problems or crashes with the fixed-wing, multi-engine turbo-prop built by Raytheon Aircraft Co. in 1998.

The pilot was airlifted to Greenville Memorial Hospital and Wilk and Holliday were driven by ambulance. Wilk was in the back of the plane, and Holliday was in the front at the time of the crash.

Greer Fire Chief Chris Harvey said his station along with Boiling Springs, Pelham Batesville and Tyger River fire departments got the all aid alert for the crash and arrived around 10:11 a.m.

Harvey said his crew helped in the extraction.

GSP was closed for roughly 37 minutes while emergency personnel cleared the scene, Weston said.

The plane landed in Greenville Sunday night after a two-hour flight from Norfolk International Airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected to be at the scene later today to take over the investigation. Crews from several area fire departments and rescue crew spent the early afternoon collecting pieces of the plane from around Highway 14 and putting them in bags.

The guardrail the plane clipped severely bent and crews placed blue and green tarps over the plane which landed on its belly.

Stevens was started in 1950 to simply fly J.P Stevens executives. It was purchased in 1989 by an investment group, who decided to keep the aviation division as a separate entity.

It deals with manufacturers such as Beechcraft, Citation, Learjet, Hawker and Piaggio. Its clients include Milliken, Michelin and Libbs International.

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