In Memorium Six Members of U-M organ recovery team die in plane crash on June 5

Transplant News,  July, 2007  

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On Tuesday, June 5, 2007, four members of the University of Michigan (U-M) transplant recovery team and two pilots were killed when their small plane in which they were flying crashed into Lake Michigan. The team had just retrieved a pair of donor lungs which were to be transplanted at the U-M Hospital in Ann Arbor.

The Survival Flight team consisted of two surgeons and two donor specialists from the U-M Health System and two pilots who regularly flew the team to recover organs from a donor. The team members included: David Ashburn, MD, a fellow in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery; Richard Chenault II, transplant donor specialist in the U-M Transplant Program; Dennis Hoyes, a Marlin Air pilot; Richard Lapensee, transplant donation specialist U-M Transplant Program; Bill Serra, Marlin Air pilot; and Martinus (Martin) Spoor, MD, a cardiac surgeon.

The plane in which the six were flying crashed after they had left from General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee for the 42-minute flight to Willow Run airport near Detroit, MI. Just minutes after takeoff the pilot declared an emergency and requested a return to the airport. Just after the request and only five minutes in the air the plane crashed into the lake.

At 11 a.m. Dr. Robert Kelch, executive vice president of Medical Affairs, said on his Web site: "We are faced today with some devastating news. We have been holding out that the search and rescue mission for our Survival Flight family members would have a happy ending, and that our crew would soon be returned safely to us. But the mission, we were told this morning, has now become one of recovery, and there are no survivors of the crash."

"Every day, the doctors, nurses and flight personnel of Survival Flight perform heroic work to save the lives of others, and that is how we will remember those who perished in this tragedy, -- as selfless heros," said U-M President Mary Gorman

Goran Klintmalm, MD, president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) offered his condolences in a prepared statement: "Many ASTS members worked alongside this transplant team for many years and share deeply in this tragic loss. Their passion for saving lives is valued by all within the transplant community."

One glimmer of good news occurred on June 8 when U-M announced the patient who was to receive the lungs the plane was carrying had been transplanted.

"We are relieved that we were able to do this transplant and give this man another chance for life. Our friends that died in the crash would have wanted us to go on with our work," said Jeffrey Punch, MD, director of the U-M Division of Transplantation.

The team members included:

David Ashburn, MD, 35, a resident in pediatric surgery, U-M. He was to have begun a fellowship at U-M in pediatric cardiovascular surgery in July. He is survived by his wife, Candice, and their children Maddie, Annabelle and David II; and his parents, Maria and Alan Ashburn.

Richard Chenault II, 44, a transplant donation specialist at the U-M for the past 10 years. He joined the university in 1985 as a laboratory assistant for the Department of Pediatrics. He is survived by his wife, Janet, and his two children Kayla and Adrian.

Dennis Hoyes, 65, a pilot with Marlin Air, Inc. He was a professional pilot who had flown the Survival Flight Cessna periodically for the last 10 years. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Vanyce; his five children Brian, Brad, Robin, Tammy and Kimberly; and his seven grandchildren Alicia, Brittney, Ryan, Jordan, Bryce, Adam and Delaney.

Rick Lapensee, 48, a transplant donation specialist who joined the U-M Transplant Program in 2005. He was planning on attending medical school this fall. He is survived by his wife of 23 years; his two sons, Brendan and Derrick; his parents, Lulu and Sonny; and his extended family at the Ypsilanti (MI) Fire Department.

Bill Serra, 59, Marlin Air's chief pilot. He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and his children William Jr; Christine and Jennifer.

Martinus (Martin) Spoor, MD, 37, a clinical instructor at the U-M Medical School in the Section of Cardiac Surgery. He came to the U-M in 2003 for a heart failure fellowship which he completed in 2005. He completed a critical care fellowship in 2006. He is survived by his wife Susan, who is also a physician, and his children (names not available).

Punch told Transplant News that a physical Memorial in honor of the team will be constructed on the U-M campus and a special memorial service is planned for late July. For information, e-mail Punch at: jpunch@umich.edu.

More information, including Memorial Funds established to assist the families of the six men can be found online at www.med.umich.edu/survival_fllight/update/fund.htm.

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