The "Countdown To Disaster" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sometime in the last week of June, 1989.  All started when a fellow by the name of Daniel P. Krushinski purchased two rocket engines from Vulcan Systems of Colorado Springs, Colorado with the intent to set them off from the parking lot of Larry Murphy Chevrolet on the outskirts of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The entire event was to be a promotional gimmick for the Chevrolet dealership.  Next to the Chevrolet dealership stands Franklin & Marshall college as well as an upscale neighborhood of stately homes.  Nearby is the beautiful home known as Wheatland which was the former home of President James Buchanan.  Also closeby is St. Joseph Hospital, one of two hospitals in the city of Lancaster.  So, who is this guy Krushinski?  He claimed to be Daniel P.  Kirchner, a rocket launch specialist with a long record for crimes involving fraud and deception.  Kirchner purchased two rocket engines from Vulcan Systems and had them sent to 2268 William Penn Way in Lancaster, the address where a guy by the name of...yep, Daniel P. Krushinski lived.  Something fishy here!  Well, Lancaster County District Attorney Henry S. Kenderdiine Jr. got involved in the whole mess and pointed out that they must now teach rocketry at the New Values program at the jail where Krushinski had recently been released.  But, it was determined that Krushinski did apply to the nearby Dauphin County Court to have his name changed to Daniel P. Kirchner and he was now living with his parents at 315 N. Charlotte Street in the city.  The Lancaster newspaper asked Krushinski/Kirchner for an interview and when they knocked on the door at 315, no one answered.  No kidding!  

The rocket is checked
out by Bob Cooke.

The newspaper did find out that Krushinski was released from state prison late last year after serving more than two years of a two-and-a-half to seven year sentence.  He was serving time for impersonating a police officer, six counts of forgery and five counts of theft by deception.  I did some checking and found that Krushinski/Kirchner did apply and receive a "Certificate of Waiver or Authorization" from the U.S. Department of Transportation that allowed: Shooting rocket off from the abandoned Landisville Airport, which is located in Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (Approx. 220 1/2 - 5 1/2 miles from LRP-VCR) surface to 30,000 feet.  Rocket will return via parachute).  The certificate was effective from 7-4, 1300 hours to 7-4 1430 hours and subject to cancellation at any time upon notice by the Administrator or his authorized representative.  Evidently Mr. Krushinski/Kirchner gave the Certificate of Authorization  to the Lancaster Airport and in turn the airport must have notified the Manheim Township Police Department, since Manheim Township police seized two rocket engines from Larry Murphy Chevrolet, after learning that a promotional consultant may have misled the engines' manufacturer as to how the engines were to be used.  

The authorization to set off the rocket.

The general manager, Bob Cooke, of the Chevrolet dealership, voluntarily relin- quished the rocket engines after he was told they repre- sented a serious safety hazard, and canceled the promotional rocket launch that had scheduled for July 4. Mr. Cooke had planned to launch the 30-foot high rocket from the Larry Murphy car lot.  When Vulcan owners found out what their rockets were to be used for they said they had been misinformed about the use of them.  So, I guess Mr. Krushinski/Kirchner must have been in for more jail time.  I checked, but couldn't find out what ever happened to him.  I'm assuming he is in another state by now.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Lt. Jack Nunumacher of the Manheim Township Police
carrying one of the rocket engines that was confiscated.