~~ In Loving Memory Of The Murfin Family ~~: Mike Murfin

The Tragic Day on August 3, 1979

From the Columbus Citizen-Journal,

Tuesday, August 7,1979:
EXPLOSION, NOT PLANE CRASH, KILLED FAMILY, FRIEND REPORTS

By Douglas Branstetter, Staff Writer

"The airplane tragedy that claimed the lives of seven members of a Columbus family, Friday in Kansas was caused by an explosion and not a crash, which occurred after the plane safely landed," said James Wiemer, a friend of the Thomas Murfin family and long-time employee of the family's business, The Murfin Company. He said earlier reports that the family perished when the plane crashed in a field were inaccurate.

James Wiemer, corporate pilot for The Murfin Company, was in "flight phone" contact with Murfin during most of the family's westward trip, and confirmed this account of the ill-fated flight: Murfin, 34, his wife, Joan, 32, their four children, Matthew, 13, Mark, 11, Michael, 9, and Elizabeth, 6; and a nephew, Gregg Levin, 10, were going to Colorado for a vacation.

Murfin was piloting the twin-engine, turbo-prop Mitsubishi MU-29 aircraft and was about 20 minutes west of Hays en route to Denver when he experienced difficulty with the right engine and a drop in oil pressure.

He was able to maintain altitude, but the oil pressure continued to drop until it was down to zero, Wie-mer said. "At that point he shut down the right engine and feathered the prop, which is normal procedure. Also, at that point, he reported fumes and smoke entering the cabin. "Mr. Murfin then activated the ram air system, which purges the cabin of fumes and smoke. He told Denver Center everything was under control, but said he was turning back to Hays, which was the nearest airport with sufficient length runways," Wiemer said.

After turning back, Murfin ended radio contact with Wiemer about 9:15 P.M., promising to call back after he landed. Murfin passed over the Hays airport about 9:20 P.M. to check landing conditions and terrain, and maintained contact with Denver. It was the last anyone heard from the plane. Ellis County, Kansas Coroner, Dr. Ward New-combe, suspected carbon monoxide fumes in the cabin may have altered Murfin's perception, causing him to overshoot the runway. "He then picked a spot in a freshly plowed field and sat the plane down rather gently on its belly, and skidded to a stop. I say gently because the touchdown was so soft that the plane made a furrow only one foot deep at the point of impact, and skidded no farther than 200 feet," Dr. Newcombe said.

After the plane landed, Murfin, with his 6-year-old daughter Elizabeth in his arms, went to the right rear section of the plane and was at the emergency door when the craft exploded. Newcombe confirmed that Murfin's body was found at the rear of the plane. He also said the impact of the landing was adequately absorbed by the plane's seats and seat belts.

FAMILY'S LOVE FOR SOCCER LEADS TO MEMORIAL FUND

By Jeff Borden of The Dispatch Staff

The Thomas R. Murfin family, killed in a private plane accident Friday, was devoted to soccer. Murfin was the successful coach of the Steelers, a team in the junior division of the Grove City Kids Association (GCKA) while his sons, Matthew, 12, Mark, 10, and Michael, 9, were active players in the senior, junior, and bantam divisions.

The devotion of the family to the sport and the GCKA has led to the establishment of a memorial fund. Neighbors of the family, which lived in the Timber Lake subdivision in Orient, Ohio, as well as members of the GCKA urged the Association's Board of Directors to create a memorial fund."They were so supportive and so active in all the GCKA activities that it seemed appropriate," said Robert Whittier, Secretary of GCKA. Whittier said members of the GCKA Board were stunned by the news, but hope to raise a sizable amount of cash in the family's name. "There will be a Board Meeting next Wednesday at the Grove City Public Library. We want everyone who has contributed or who has an idea of how we could best use the money, to attend," said Whittier. The meeting starts at 7 P.M. Whittier said Board Members have not yet decided how ambitious a project they can tackle, but said public input as well as the size of donations will determine the scope of the project. Contributions may be sent to the Murfin Memorial Fund, in care of the Grove City Kids Association, P.O. Box 8, Grove City.

Clifton Murfin, the father of Thomas Randoff Murfin donated $100,000 to Grove City Kids Association in Honor of his lost love ones. His son, Thomas and his family had a stong love for sports and were very involved with GCKA. With the mourning of his son and the family, Clifton decided to make sure that even thought they have moved onto Heaven that they will not be forgotten her on Earth.

The Memorial site consist of 7 trees, one to to represent each of the children, Matt Murfin, Mark Murfin, Mike (Mikey)Murfin and Elizabeth (Beth) Murfin as well as Thomas (Randy) Murfin and his wife Joni Murfin (madien name, Levine). Along with them was Joni's newphew, Greg Levine. The two trees that are in the center of the site represent Thomas and Joni, while the other five trees outline the Memorial site. In the middle with the two tree is a unique tree that branches off to two side, this is what we refer to as the "Family Tree" or the "Unity Tree".