NASA Administrator Bolden, NATA President Coyne Praise Senator
Stevens
GCI Senior Vice President of legal, regulatory and governmental
affairs Dana Tindall (pictured), is a confirmed fatality aboard the
GCI-owned plane that crashed Monday near Dillingham, AK. In a
release on the GCI website, the company confirms that Dana’s
16-year-old daughter, Corey Tindall, was also aboard the flight and
did not survive the crash. Dana leaves behind a husband, Virgil
Peachey, and a son, Connor Tindall.
“Our hearts are with Dana’s family,” said GCI
President and CEO Ron Duncan. “Dana and her daughter Corey
were a big part of our GCI family and we are devastated by the news
of their passing.”
Dana Tindall served in her current role since mid-1993 and
previously served as GCI's vice president of regulatory affairs
during a 24-year career with the company. Tindall has served as an
adjunct professor of regulatory economics at Alaska Pacific
University. She is a past board member of both the Anchorage
Economic Development Corporation and the Alaska Council on Economic
Education. Tindall received her bachelor's degree in economics and
master’s degree in public policy from the University of
Michigan.
In a statement appearing on the site, Duncan called former
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, and the others on the plane, "good
friends."
"We are deeply grateful to the search-and-rescue professionals
and the many good Samaritans who responded so quickly and rendered
assistance to the injured passengers.
"On behalf of the men and women of GCI, I offer our deepest
condolences to the families and friends dealing with this
heartbreaking event. We will do all we can to support them in the
weeks and months ahead."
Duncan added that the identification of victims will be handled
by the Alaska State Troopers pending notification of next-of-kin.
The investigation into the cause of the crash will be handled by
the NTSB.
Meanwhile, NASA Administrator Charles
Bolden (pictured) issued the following statement Tuesday
about the plane crash in Alaska:
"We at NASA are deeply saddened by today's news that former
U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens and others were killed in a plane crash in
Alaska that also injured former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe and
his son, Kevin. As a long-time supporter of NASA, Sen. Stevens made
lasting contributions to our agency and our country. We at NASA
mourn his loss and send our deepest condolences to his family, as
well as the families and friends of all who perished in the
accident. We also send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to
Sean, Kevin, and other survivors of the crash. Our thoughts and
prayers are with them and their families."
NATA also mourned those lost in the accident. "Our heartfelt
condolences go out to the families of those involved in the crash,"
NATA President James K. Coyne stated. "Our country lost a great
American today. Chairman Stevens was a remarkable member of the
U.S. Senate as well as a steadfast supporter of the general
aviation community, especially in the state of Alaska."