Colo. Jet Crash Spares NBC Sports Chairman
05:57 PM EST - November 28, 2004

The Associated Press


MONTROSE, Colo.
NBC Sports Chairman and President Dick Ebersol survived a charter plane
crash on takeoff Sunday at Montrose Regional Airport, NBC said in a
statement through its Denver affiliate KUSA-TV.

At least two people died in the crash, the pilot and the co-pilot, according
to the network. Rescuers were searching for a person listed on the plane's
manifest whose seat from the plane was missing from the wreckage.

Ebersol's wife, Susan St. James, was not on the plane, the affiliate said.

At least six people were on the plane and authorities were searching for the
missing person in rugged terrain by helicopter and on the ground.


Montrose County Sheriff's officials said two people were dead, but a Federal
Aviation Administration spokesman said three had died in the crash at
Montrose Regional Airport, which serves the Telluride Ski Area.

The crash occurred in an area covered with small brush and cedar trees,
sheriff's Communications Supervisor David Learned said. A large drainage
ditch also is at the site.

Montrose county Coroner Mark Young said names and hometowns of the deceased
would not be released until their families were notified.

There was snow in the area but regional FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said he
did not know if it was a factor.

The plane was on its way to South Bend, Ind. Kenitzer identified the plane's
tail number as N873G, a CL-601 Challenger registered to Jet Alliance of
Millville, N.J.

An operator at Jet Alliance said she had no information about the crash.

Investigators from the FAA and National Safety Transportation Board were en
route to the airport, 185 miles southwest of Denver.