ღ♥ღೋೋღ♥ღ
JORDYN LEIGH, age 21, of Broomall PA. Loving daughter of Suellen (nee Mannis) and J.L. Agostini. Dear sister of Samantha Agostini. Granddaughter of L. Claire Agostini and Frederick Mannis. Niece of Louise Agostini, Fred Agostini, Diane and Albert Katrakazis, Alayne and Michael McNelis, and Thomas Mannis. Cousin of Danielle, Michael and Ryan McNelis, Markos and A.J. Katrakazis, and Grant Mannis. Also survived by many other family members.
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Melbourne, Florida --
Four people - two students, a flight instructor and another passenger - were on board the Piper PA-44 Seminole when it crashed about 6:10 p.m. Thursday at Palm Beach International Airport.
At Florida Tech, administrators and students were stunned by the news involving one of the university's most successful programs. Grief counselors were also made available today to students and staff members affected by the crash.
"Florida Tech and F.I.T. Aviation are dealing with great sorrow today," said Anthony J. Catanese, Florida Tech president, in a statement released late Thursday. University officials planned to conduct a memorial at 8 tonight at Panther Plaza on the college's campus. The university's aviation school remained closed today.
"We have lost members of our university family. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have lost loved ones and friends in this tragedy," Catanese said.
The plane was on a routine training flight that had made a successful return leg from the Bahamas, said Winston Scott, dean of the university's college of aeronautics. F.I.T. Aviation operates a fleet of more than 40 aircraft, from basic single-engine flight trainers to more advanced twin-engine airplanes. F.I.T.
Authorities in Palm Beach said the plane arrived at Palm Beach International Airport from an earlier excursion to the Bahamas to go through a routine customs check.
A short time after the customs check was carried out, the Piper was refueled and ready for take off as skies began to darken over the airport, officials said.
The plane took off from the airstrip but within seconds, the pilot contacted the air tower to report that the aircraft was experiencing an unidentified problem, officials said.
The plane then descended from an unknown height and crashed on airport property, not far from terminals where air passengers were waiting for other flights, officials reported. Emergency crews at the airport quickly rushed to the site.
Today NTSB investigators arrived at the airport to begin what could be a lengthy investigation into the crash.
The university will cooperate with the NTSB as it investigates the crash, Scott said.
"We don't know the cause of the crash," he said.
The victims in Thursday's plane crash were identified this afternoon as:
* Kristopher Jay Henegar, 22, a Florida Tech student from Memphis, Tennessee. Due to graduate from College of Aeronautics in December.
* Jordyn Leigh Agostini, 21, a Florida Tech student from Pennsylvania. Due to graduate from College of Aeronautics in December.
* Flight Instructor Dheni "Jenny" Teresa Frembling, 26, of Melbourne. Graduated from Florida Tech in 2006.
* Kyle Henegar, 26, of Palm Bay. He graduated from Florida Tech in 2008.
-----------J.D. Gallop and Rebecca Basu, Florida Today
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ღ♥ღೋೋღ♥ღ
JORDYN LEIGH, age 21, of Broomall PA. Loving daughter of Suellen (nee Mannis) and J.L. Agostini. Dear sister of Samantha Agostini. Granddaughter of L. Claire Agostini and Frederick Mannis. Niece of Louise Agostini, Fred Agostini, Diane and Albert Katrakazis, Alayne and Michael McNelis, and Thomas Mannis. Cousin of Danielle, Michael and Ryan McNelis, Markos and A.J. Katrakazis, and Grant Mannis. Also survived by many other family members.
======
Melbourne, Florida --
Four people - two students, a flight instructor and another passenger - were on board the Piper PA-44 Seminole when it crashed about 6:10 p.m. Thursday at Palm Beach International Airport.
At Florida Tech, administrators and students were stunned by the news involving one of the university's most successful programs. Grief counselors were also made available today to students and staff members affected by the crash.
"Florida Tech and F.I.T. Aviation are dealing with great sorrow today," said Anthony J. Catanese, Florida Tech president, in a statement released late Thursday. University officials planned to conduct a memorial at 8 tonight at Panther Plaza on the college's campus. The university's aviation school remained closed today.
"We have lost members of our university family. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have lost loved ones and friends in this tragedy," Catanese said.
The plane was on a routine training flight that had made a successful return leg from the Bahamas, said Winston Scott, dean of the university's college of aeronautics. F.I.T. Aviation operates a fleet of more than 40 aircraft, from basic single-engine flight trainers to more advanced twin-engine airplanes. F.I.T.
Authorities in Palm Beach said the plane arrived at Palm Beach International Airport from an earlier excursion to the Bahamas to go through a routine customs check.
A short time after the customs check was carried out, the Piper was refueled and ready for take off as skies began to darken over the airport, officials said.
The plane took off from the airstrip but within seconds, the pilot contacted the air tower to report that the aircraft was experiencing an unidentified problem, officials said.
The plane then descended from an unknown height and crashed on airport property, not far from terminals where air passengers were waiting for other flights, officials reported. Emergency crews at the airport quickly rushed to the site.
Today NTSB investigators arrived at the airport to begin what could be a lengthy investigation into the crash.
The university will cooperate with the NTSB as it investigates the crash, Scott said.
"We don't know the cause of the crash," he said.
The victims in Thursday's plane crash were identified this afternoon as:
* Kristopher Jay Henegar, 22, a Florida Tech student from Memphis, Tennessee. Due to graduate from College of Aeronautics in December.
* Jordyn Leigh Agostini, 21, a Florida Tech student from Pennsylvania. Due to graduate from College of Aeronautics in December.
* Flight Instructor Dheni "Jenny" Teresa Frembling, 26, of Melbourne. Graduated from Florida Tech in 2006.
* Kyle Henegar, 26, of Palm Bay. He graduated from Florida Tech in 2008.
-----------J.D. Gallop and Rebecca Basu, Florida Today
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