Last edited 3:30 p.m., Dec. 15, 2014Members of the Integrity Home Care management team are in good condition after surviving a plane crash near Evangel University on Friday night.
Piloted by company Vice President Bill Perkin, the six-seat, corporate-owned Piper Saratoga was headed to Springfield’s Downtown Airport from Lee’s Summit and also carried CEO Greg Horton and President Paul Reinert - co-owners of the company - as well as Amy Ford, director of hospice, said Integrity Vice President Tara Ferguson.
She said the plane landed in a bushy vacant lot owned by Evangel between two houses on the south side of Pythian Street. Perkin, who also owns KSPR through Perkin Media LLC, hit a phone tower while attempting to land at the 2546 E. Division St. airport.
"Truly, God was the pilot that day," Ferguson said.
Ferguson said Horton was released from the hospital Sunday, and Reinert and Ford were in the office part of the day Monday. Perkin, who has broken ribs and collarbone damage from the crash, continues to undergo care but is in good condition, she said. Reinert and Ford walked away from the scene, and Perkin and Horton were taken to Cox South after the Friday night accident.
According to
FAA.gov, the registration is pending on the aircraft with N-Number N3127R.
“This aircraft's registration status may not be suitable for operation,” the Federal Aviation Administration website reads. The application in the name of PPG Properties LLC - organized by Horton - is dated Oct. 22. Ferguson said Integrity had owned the plane for six weeks.
Evangel spokesman Paul Logsdon said he was still on campus when the plane hit and was leaving when he saw fire trucks and ambulances. He witnessed two people laying on the ground when he investigated and managed to snap several photos.
“We’re just so thankful that they survived and it didn’t hit the campus,” he said.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, city of Springfield spokeswoman Cora Scott said, declining to provide further details
The lead investigator for the NTSB did not return a call by deadline.[[In-content Ad]]
