Micron CEO Steve Appleton, 51, was killed this morning when the "experimental" plane he was piloting crashed at the airport in Boise, Idaho.
In 2004, Appleton, a professional stunt pilot, had been seriously injured in a small-plane crash that raised questions about the propriety of a corporate CEO taking such risks, according to Associated Press.
A statement from the company's board reads in part:
We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Appleton, Micron (Nasdaq:MU) Chairman and CEO, passed away this morning in a small plane accident in Boise. He was 51.
Our hearts go out to his wife, Dalynn, his children and his family during this tragic time.
Steve's passion and energy left an indelible mark on Micron, the Idaho community and the technology industry at large.
Trading in semiconductor company's stock was halted prior to the announcement of Appleton's death.
An Associated Press story says there were reports of flames coming from the plane, a fixed-wing single engine Lancair, prior to the crash. From the AP:
It's not the first time Appleton has been in a small-plane crash, and questions have been raised in the past about whether the head of a large corporation should be engaging in that hobby. On July 8, 2004, Appleton sustained a punctured lung, head injuries, ruptured disk and broken bones after his stunt plane crashed in the desert east of Boise.
Appleton didn't immediately reveal the severity of injuries he sustained in that crash, and in 2006 a corporate governance expert began questioning disclosures about the crash.
Appleton had devoted most of his working life to Micron, having started with the company on its factory floor in 1983.
Welcome regulars and passersby. Here are a few more recent buzzblog items. And, if you’d like to receive Buzzblog via e-mail newsletter, here’s where to sign up. You can follow me on Twitter here and on Google+ here.
- 2012’s 25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries.
- Dying Jobs kept letter from Gates at his bedside.
- Supreme Court backs privacy over police in GPS case.
- Who’s flying drones in U.S.? … FAA won’t say.
- Slashdotters rain on “cloud computing”
- “The Joy of Books” tap dances all over your Kindle.
- Who’s lying? The iPad owner or the border guard?
- Survey shows we need a better definition of paperless.
- “LAN-party house” guy spills important details.
- Follow the Mythbusters' bouncing cannonball.
- Steve Jobs and his gadgets … in LEGO.
