On April 4 , 1991 , Pennsylvania Senator H. John Heinz III was killed when his airplane collided with a Sun Company helicopter in what is known as the Merion air disaster . Falling debris killed 2 children at the Merion Elementary School in the Lower Merion School District . The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the accident included poor judgment on the part of the captain of the Sun Company helicopter , and his failure to maintain safe separation from the Senator 's airplane
Merion air disaster
Merion air disaster
Sunoco