Investigators Examine Plane Wreckage From Crash That Killed 2 Tulsa Men

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Todd Fox says authorities hope to have the fuselage removed Tuesday.

Tuesday, March 19th 2013, 12:22 pm

By: Emory Bryan

Investigators Examine Plane Wreckage From Crash That Killed 2 Tulsa Men

Two men from Tulsa remained hospitalized in Indiana Tuesday, after surviving a plane crash there Sunday afternoon.

The investigation moved Tuesday, from the scene of the crash to the South Bend airport, where the plane briefly touched down before crashing. Grainy surveillance pictures show the plane making what appears to be a complete roll just before the crash.

Investigators removed the small jet from the house where it crashed Sunday afternoon. They loaded it onto a flatbed trailer, so it could hauled to a hangar at the nearby airport.

There, investigators plan to spend more time with the wreckage, looking for any evidence of what caused the crash. Autopsies continue on the bodies of the two men killed, Tulsan businessman Wes Caves, and former OU football star Steve Davis.

The two survivors were both employees of DigiCut Systems, and were traveling to South Bend on company business.

South Bend Memorial Hospital reports that Jim Rodgers remains in critical condition and Christopher Evans is in fair condition.

Rodgers is a retired Tulsa firefighter and Roger Sharp worked with him.

"Jim was always one of the kindest guys, always very professional, respectful, and always loved by the people who worked for him, I know," Sharp said. "As a supervisor, I knew if Jim was on the scene, I was comfortable with how he would handle things, just a very, very competent person."

The plane hit three homes after witnesses saw it veering to the right of the runway and rolling over on the way down.

The cockpit was sheared apart, killing the two men up front. The two survivors were in the passenger cabin. A woman on the ground was hurt and she's in fair condition.

Sharp said he's sure of this: if his friend was conscious after the crash, he was helping.

"I'm sure, if anything could have been done, and if he could do anything to help rescue people, help the situation, I'm sure that's what he was doing," Sharp said.

The other survivor is Chris Evans. He's the son-in-law of Jim Rodgers.

Everyone on the plane had a few things in common, including ties to DigiCut, to west Tulsa, and to Webster High School.