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Pilot crash lands in vacant lot in Chicago suburb

By WTOP Staff

DON BABWIN
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — People living in a Chicago suburb on Monday looked at scattered pieces of a small plane and wondered if the last act of the pilot before his death was to spare residents’ lives by crash landing in an empty lot on a crowded street.

Three physicians died in the crash late Sunday in Palos Hills, officials said.

“It looks like (the pilot) aimed for the one vacant spot,” said Barbara Janusz, who lives with her daughter’s family in Palos Hills. “I’m sure he sacrificed his own life for everybody else’s.”

Palos Hills Deputy Police Chief James Boie had the same thought after surveying the scene. He said neighbors told authorities they heard a sputtering engine and the aircraft circling before it crashed — a maneuver that could suggest a desperate search to land a crippled aircraft.

“I’d like to think that,” Boie said. “That is the only vacant lot for (four) blocks.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said there were no obvious reasons why the twin-engine Beechcraft Baron plane crashed in the suburb at about 10:40 p.m. Sunday, shortly after taking off from Chicago’s Midway’s International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was heading to Lawrence, Kansas.

Two of the doctors who died had worked for Stormont-Vail HealthCare, the Topeka-based medical system said in a statement posted on its website. The company identified them as Tausif Rehman, a neurosurgeon, and pulmonologist Ali A. Kanchwala.

Stormont-Vail said the third victim was Kanchwala’s wife, Maria Javaid, a cardiologist at the Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. It did not identify the pilot.

John Brannen, a NTSB investigator, said the pilot did not make a distress call before the plane “simply dropped off the radar.”

Brannen said investigators would go to Midway, where the plane had been fueled, to take samples from the fuel truck to determine if there were any problems with the fuel. He also said investigators have not ruled out the overcast weather and the pilot’s experience as possible factors in the crash.

Whatever happened, Janusz said the community about 20 miles southwest of downtown Chicago was spared a “total disaster, too awful to think about.” About 50-60 people live on the street and another couple of hundred people live in apartments a block away.

___

John Hanna contributed to this report from Topeka, Kansas.

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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