WKRN News 2

Vanderbilt professor among those killed in West Virginia helicopter crash

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Medical examiners in West Virginia have released the names of six people killed in the crash of a Vietnam-era helicopter that gave tour rides.

The aircraft crashed Wednesday, June 22, during its last planned flight at a reunion for helicopter enthusiasts in Logan County. All six people aboard were killed. The state’s chief medical examiner released the names of the victims on Saturday.

They are: John Nagle, 53, of Austin, Texas; Donald Sandhoff, 69, of Durham, N.C.; Kevin Warren, 51, of Franklin, Tenn.; Carolyn O’Connor, 73, of Winter Garden, Fla.; and Marvin Bledsoe, 64, and Jack Collins, 65, both of Chapmanville, W.Va.

Kevin Warren (Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt University)

On Sunday evening, Vanderbilt University announced Warren was an associate professor of electrical engineering.

Vanderbilt University sent the following letter to community members following Warren’s death:

Dear Vanderbilt community members,

I am writing to share the tragic news that one of our faculty, Kevin Warren, Research Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, passed away on Wednesday, June 22. 

Kevin was a longtime member of the Vanderbilt community, having earned master’s degrees in chemistry and electrical engineering from the university as well as his doctorate in electrical engineering. Kevin began his employment with Vanderbilt as a Senior Research Engineer in 2003 and assumed his current faculty role in 2020. 

Through his work in the Vanderbilt University Institute for Space and Defense Electronics, Kevin performed extensive research into the development and application of novel radiation effects related error rate prediction methods for microelectronics in terrestrial, atmospheric, and space environments. 

This a devastating loss for the Vanderbilt community and all those who knew Kevin.

Anyone having difficulty processing this sad news can reach out to the resources below.

Sincerely,

C. Cybele Raver
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs


© The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.