Fiery Airplane Crash Kills Yakima Businessman And Son

UNION GAP, Yakima County - A Yakima business magnate and his son died in a fiery plane crash after a trip to Seattle to watch a professional basketball game.

Michael Mercy was flying the 22-year-old Aero Commander that crashed and burst into flames about 10:30 p.m. Friday near the Yakima airport, and his 16-year-old son, Michael Jr., was the only passenger, authorities said.

Investigators for the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were dispatched to try to determine the cause of the crash.

Relatives said Mercy, scion of a pioneer family and president of Mercy Enterprises, had taken his son to the Seattle SuperSonics-Portland Trail Blazers game Friday night.