10/20/87 Indianapolis Plane Crash: a Virtual Cemetery

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A Virtual Cemetery created by M & K Fine

10/20/87 Indianapolis Plane Crash

On October 20, 1987 at 9:11 a.m., the Indianapolis International Airport control tower was contacted by an Air Force pilot needing to make an emergency landing because of engine failure in the A-7D Corsair single-engine airplane he was flying from Pennsylvania to Nevada. The sky was cloudy and visibility was poor. The pilot came in from the southwest and arrived at the landing strip at approximately 3100 feet, too high to make the landing. The control tower advised the pilot to circle back and come in from the southeast on an alternate runway. As the plane made the necessary turn to circle back, it began to fall rapidly and veered off course. The pilot ejected at the last possible moment to save his own life at only 500 feet. The aircraft made contact with the roof of the Bank One building, hit an embankment and then crashed at 9:17 a.m. into the lobby of the Ramada Inn at 5455 W. Bradbury Avenue, Indianapolis. The plane was carrying about 20,000 pounds of fuel. It ignited upon impact. Nine employees were immediately killed in the lobby, laundry and office areas of the first floor of the hotel. A man, who had stopped at the hotel to make a phone call, had burns over 95% of his body and died later. --- I could not find the burial locations of the following people. Any help would be appreciated. THANKS --- Emma Jean Brownlee, 37 & Narinder S. Kanwar, 41.