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Investigators: Plane silent as it fell to beach

By WTOP Staff

VENICE, Fla. (AP) — A small plane that crash-landed on a Florida beach, killing two people walking in the water, was not making any engine noise as it descended over groups of people the pilot was trying to avoid, federal investigators said in a report released Thursday.

The plane had been flying from Englewood to Venice when its engine lost power over the water after 10 to 15 minutes in the air, according to the report by the National Transportation Safety Board. The pilot declared an emergency on the radio and began looking for a place to land.

Karl Kokomoor was concerned that his plane would flip over if he landed in deep water, and he attempted to navigate around groups of people along the beach, NTSB investigators said.

“He then aimed for a spot where he thought there were no people, and landed in the water near the shoreline,” investigators said.

Ommy Irizarry and his 9-year-old daughter Oceana, both of Fort Stewart, Georgia, were struck by the 1976 Piper aircraft as they walked July 27 in shallow water along Caspersen Beach in Venice. The father died at the scene, and Oceana died at a hospital two days later.

Kokomoor and his passenger were not injured. They learned that the plane had struck Irizarry and his daughter only after a woman shouted to them that she needed a cell phone to call for help, investigators said.

One witness told Venice police that the plane passed directly overhead with no noise from the engine and little movement from its propeller, according to the NTSB report. Other witnesses also said the engine was not running as the plane descended to the beach.

Irizarry’s wife and son told investigators that they saw the plane fly in very low, but they did not see it strike the victims, who were pulled from about 4 feet of water by friends and relatives.

Kokomoor told investigators that he had not flown the plane in the previous three-and-a-half months before the crash. Investigators inspecting the wreckage found nothing abnormal about the plane’s fuel supply lines, vent system or carburetor, and the engine started even with a bent propeller, the report said.

A final NTSB report on the crash could take over a year to complete.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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