INJURED COUPLE CELEBRATING

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 2, 1992                   TAG: 9201020088
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
INJURED COUPLE CELEBRATING
A Franklin County couple injured in the crash of their single-engine airplane Tuesday were "celebrating as good as we can" as the year began.
Marlyn Bowman, owner of Bowman's Meat Processing near Burnt Chimney, and his wife, Connie, were recuperating in a Huntington, Ind., hospital Wednesday.
In a telephone interview, a cheerful-sounding Bowman said he expects to remain in the hospital until the first of next week recovering from injuries to both ankles.
His left ankle "was bunged up worse than the other" and required surgery, he said, but doctors have assured him both were put "back in place pretty good."
Bowman was in "pretty good spirits" despite the prospect that "there'll probably be a long, drawn-out process" of rehabilitation.
Connie Bowman suffered a hairline fracture of the pelvis that won't require surgery, her husband said. She also is expected to be released from the hospital early next week.
Three other Franklin County residents also were in the plane when it crashed near the Huntington airport after ice formed on the wings.
Dennis and Connie Jamison walked away from the crash with bruises; their 1-year-old son, Clinton, was released from the hospital Wednesday after being treated for a bruised head.
Bowman, who has about 1,200 hours of flight time since he began flying in 1982, said he had never experienced anything like what happened Tuesday.
About a half-inch of ice built up on the leading edges of the wings and formed across the top of the wings as soon as he dropped into an approach near the airport, he said. That caused the plane to stall, forcing it down in a field near the airport.
Bowman said he thinks his insurance will cover the cost of the crash.
"I don't plan on quitting flying," he said, adding that he'll get back in the air as soon as he can replace the airplane.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB