Missouri Gov. Killed in Plane Crash

— -- Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan and two others were killed in a plane crash. His death is more than the untimely end of a popular governor; it also dashes Democratic hopes of a Senate majority.

ABCNEWS.com

S T. L O U I S, Oct. 17 — Residents of Missouri are mourning the death of their governor, Mel Carnahan, after he and two others, including his son, were killed Monday night in a plane crash just outside St. Louis. His unexpected death is likely to have an impact on Democratic hopes of recapturing control of the U.S. Senate.

“Governor Carnahan always believed that public service was a noble calling,” Tony Wyche, the governor’s press secretary, told reporters this morning. “He was the greatest governor this state has ever had and we will miss him dearly.”

The governor, 66, his son Roger — who was known as Randy — and political strategist Chris Sifford, had been flying in rain and fog to a fund-raiser for his Senate campaign.

Carnahan was in a hotly contested race with incumbent Republican Sen. John Ashcroft. The two rivals had been trading increasingly personal barbs in recent weeks, but Ashcroft immediately suspended all campaign activity and advertising out of respect for the governor and his family.

“This is a compound tragedy,” the senator said in an interview with KYTV. “Obviously this is not a time for politics, this is a time for the state to come together.”

Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson was escorted to the Statehouse in Jefferson City from St. Louis and has been serving as acting governor and was set to be sworn in as governor this afternoon.

“Governor Carnahan was a great man, a respected man who did so many things for so many people,” Wilson said. “I’d give anything if the confirmation did not occur.”

National Transportation Safety Board investigators arrived at the crash site this morning and are working to recover the remains of the people on board.