Central Aviation Grad Killed in NY Plane Crash

February 13, 2009

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Rebecca (Morris) Shaw, a 2007 graduate of Central Washington University's Department of Aviation, was the First Officer aboard Continental Airlines flight 3407 that crashed into a home near Buffalo, NY, late Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. All 49 persons on board the twin-engine plane and one person on the ground died in the crash.

According to reports, the commuter flight, which was a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 and was operated by Colgan Air, was en route from Newark, NJ, to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, where it was scheduled to land at 10 p.m. EST, when it struck a home in the residential town of Clarence Center and burst into flames. Two people in the home were able to make it out alive. About a dozen homes in the area were evacuated.

Once National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aviation investigators are able to locate the "black box" cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder in the wreckage, they will analyze them to try to get some answers.

In a press release from Continental Airline, Larry Kellner, the airline's chairman and CEO states, "Continental extends its deepest sympathy to the family members and loved ones of those involved in this accident. We are providing our full assistance to Colgan Air so that together we can provide as much support as possible for all concerned."

According to Amy Hoover, chair of the CWU Department of Aviation, the students are taking this news pretty hard. She explains, "We extend our deepest sympathy to Becca's family and friends. Right now, we're coordinating with CWU Student Health and Counseling to provide support to our students who may need that during this time."

Hoover says students and alumni should contact the Department of Aviation at fly@cwu.edu for further information about counseling services and about plans for memorial services. That information will be forthcoming.

A graduate of Tahoma High School, Shaw graduated from CWU in Fall 2007 and earned a Bachelor of Science in flight technology with a minor in philosophy. She attended Big Bend Community College from Fall 2002 to Fall 2003 before transferring to CWU in Winter 2004.

Media Contact: Amy Hoover, CWU Department of Aviation, 509-963-2364, hoovera@cwu.edu
Teri Olin, CWU Public Relations & Marketing, 509-963-1416, olint@cwu.edu

Central Washington University is a master's degree-granting institution with approximately 10,000 students and 1,500 faculty and staff. More than 160 undergraduate and master's degrees are offered. Founded in 1891, the Ellensburg campus is located in the heart of Washington State, nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River. Since 1975, CWU has served the needs of placebound students at six university centers throughout the state. CWU is an AA/EEO Title IX Institution.