Today in Wheeling History: April 18--Wheeling College President Charles Currie sustained two broken legs, a black eye, and facial lacerations in a helicopter accident (1979).
On April 18, 1979, Rev. Charles L. Currie Jr., the president of Wheeling College in West Virginia, was seriously injured in the crash of a New York Airways Sikorsky S-61L helicopter at Newark International Airport. Father Currie suffered two broken legs, a black eye, facial lacerations, and other injuries in the accident, which killed 3 of the 18 people on board and seriously injured 10 others.
The helicopter had just taken off for a short flight to LaGuardia Airport when the pilot reported a control problem and attempted an emergency landing back at Newark Airport. At an altitude of about 150 feet, the entire tail rotor gearbox tore off the aircraft after a fatigue failure of one of the tail rotor blades, causing the helicopter to crash.
Father Currie was traveling to New York to attend a reception for prospective Wheeling College students and their parents at the time of the accident. He underwent surgery and remained hospitalized in intensive care in Newark, but returned to Wheeling via private plane and ambulance on April 26, 1979, eight days after the crash. He was not hospitalized further upon arriving in Wheeling, but continued his recovery at the college's Jesuit residence. Father Currie was released from medical care on June 19, 1979.
The crash generated major news coverage in Wheeling, where Father Currie was credited with leading a dramatic turnaround of the college, increasing enrollment by 40% and erasing budget deficits during his tenure as president from 1972-1982. An editorial in the Wheeling News-Register wished him a speedy recovery and praised his leadership in strengthening Wheeling College.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of the accident was the fatigue failure of one of the helicopter's five tail rotor blades, which resulted in severe vibrations, the loss of the tail rotor gearbox, and a loss of control. The FAA grounded the S-61 fleet for inspections after the accident. Improper passenger seat design and lack of instructions for assuming a brace position were cited as factors in the severity of the injuries.
The crash had catastrophic consequences for New York Airways. The airline ceased all operations on the day of the accident and never resumed flights. The company filed for bankruptcy just one month later in May 1979, citing the Newark crash as the primary cause of its collapse. The accident marked the end of the pioneering airline's 30-year history as one of the first scheduled helicopter passenger carriers in the world.
Father Currie went on to serve as president of Xavier University from 1982-1985 and then had a distinguished career as a champion for social justice causes and as a national leader in Jesuit higher education. He passed away on January 4, 2019 at the age of 88.
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Photo credits: Wheeling University, Weelunk, Wheeling Intelligencer
On April 18, 1979, Rev. Charles L. Currie Jr., the president of Wheeling College in West Virginia, was seriously injured in the crash of a New York Airways Sikorsky S-61L helicopter at Newark International Airport. Father Currie suffered two broken legs, a black eye, facial lacerations, and other injuries in the accident, which killed 3 of the 18 people on board and seriously injured 10 others.
The helicopter had just taken off for a short flight to LaGuardia Airport when the pilot reported a control problem and attempted an emergency landing back at Newark Airport. At an altitude of about 150 feet, the entire tail rotor gearbox tore off the aircraft after a fatigue failure of one of the tail rotor blades, causing the helicopter to crash.
Father Currie was traveling to New York to attend a reception for prospective Wheeling College students and their parents at the time of the accident. He underwent surgery and remained hospitalized in intensive care in Newark, but returned to Wheeling via private plane and ambulance on April 26, 1979, eight days after the crash. He was not hospitalized further upon arriving in Wheeling, but continued his recovery at the college's Jesuit residence. Father Currie was released from medical care on June 19, 1979.
The crash generated major news coverage in Wheeling, where Father Currie was credited with leading a dramatic turnaround of the college, increasing enrollment by 40% and erasing budget deficits during his tenure as president from 1972-1982. An editorial in the Wheeling News-Register wished him a speedy recovery and praised his leadership in strengthening Wheeling College.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of the accident was the fatigue failure of one of the helicopter's five tail rotor blades, which resulted in severe vibrations, the loss of the tail rotor gearbox, and a loss of control. The FAA grounded the S-61 fleet for inspections after the accident. Improper passenger seat design and lack of instructions for assuming a brace position were cited as factors in the severity of the injuries.
The crash had catastrophic consequences for New York Airways. The airline ceased all operations on the day of the accident and never resumed flights. The company filed for bankruptcy just one month later in May 1979, citing the Newark crash as the primary cause of its collapse. The accident marked the end of the pioneering airline's 30-year history as one of the first scheduled helicopter passenger carriers in the world.
Father Currie went on to serve as president of Xavier University from 1982-1985 and then had a distinguished career as a champion for social justice causes and as a national leader in Jesuit higher education. He passed away on January 4, 2019 at the age of 88.
To learn more: (https://tinyurl.com/bdfbutyv) (https://tinyurl.com/mw3vs3sa) (https://tinyurl.com/h5brtmxc) (https://tinyurl.com/28xydeyy) (https://tinyurl.com/mkt85vcv) (https://tinyurl.com/4n36yabs) (https://tinyurl.com/yc6ukveh) (https://tinyurl.com/35hyvudv) (https://tinyurl.com/yt56594x)
Photo credits: Wheeling University, Weelunk, Wheeling Intelligencer
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