Three Americans killed in Guatemala plane crash

Copyright ) 2000 Nando Media Copyright ) 2000 Associated Press From Time to Time: Nando's in-depth look at the 20th century

GUATEMALA CITY (February 26, 2000 4:41 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - Three American tourists died and an American pilot was injured when their plane crashed in eastern Guatemala.

The single-engine Cessna nose-dived Friday into a river as it was making its descent into the airport in Izabel state, said rescuer Williams de Leon. The plane took off from Guatemala City, 110 miles northwest.

The pilot, identified as Steven Hecht, reported having trouble with the aircraft's steering mechanism, media reports said. De Leon said Hecht was in a hospital Saturday afternoon, but his condition was not immediately known.

Byron Chacon said he saw the plane's wheels strike a tree, sending it nose-diving into the Rio Dulce.

The plane was going to a tourist area in eastern Guatemala, said Chacon, mayor of Livingston, a hamlet near the crash.

The victims were identified as the pilot's wife, 50-year-old Robin Hecht, Frank Hazard, 47, and Florens Winton, 50.

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-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 27, 2000