Colin Zink, 33, Killed In Para-Gliding Crash
Colin McKinney Zink, son of Tulsa philanthropist and millionaire John "Jack" Zink, died Saturday in a para-gliding accident near Sun Valley, Idaho. Zink, 33, of Ketchum, Idaho, was an accomplished para-glider who competed in competitions throughout the United States.
He had attended the University of Tulsa and St. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M. Funeral services are set for noon Friday at the John Zink Ranch north of Sand Springs. Wood River Funeral Chapel was handling arrangements in Idaho. Zink will be cremated. The para-gliding accident occurred about 6 p.m. Saturday, when strong winds forced Zink's glider into a spin and caused it to crash into a canyon, said Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling. "It was just driving him straight down," Femling said. Robert Parham, who was hang-gliding above Zink, told police he saw Zink's chute being blown into a canyon known as Lee's Gulch and going in circles. Lee's Gulch is often referred to as "a tricky wind area," said Femling. The men had taken off from a point a couple of miles away and were flying on the windward side of a mountain, said Greg Smith, safety director of the Ketchum Air Force, a 28-member organization. Parham landed his hang glider nearby and drove a motorcycle to Zink's crash site. Search and rescue teams were called, but Zink was dead at the scene. Zink had not actively flown in about two years and had borrowed a friend's glider with which he was unfamiliar, Smith said. A para-glider is similar to an elongated parachute, weighing less than 20 pounds. Made of nylon or Dacron, it is shaped like an air foil, Smith said. It is laid on the ground, and after its user takes a few steps, it lifts into the air. Para-gliding started in France and became popular in the United States about six years ago, Smith said. It is a popular winter sport in which people attach gliders to themselves and ski off mountains, he said. John Zink, who owned a company by the same name and Zeeco Inc., has been inducted into the Oklahoma State University Engineering Hall of Fame. He has raced cars, boats and motorcycles, and has engineered and built cars that won the Indianapolis 500, the Monza 500 in Italy, the U.S. Auto Club National Championship and the National Hot Rod Association Drag Racing Championship. Colin Zink is survived by his father; stepmother, Janet Zink of Tulsa; mother, Ellen McKinney Zink of Santa Fe, N.M.; two brothers, Neel Zink of Tulsa and Whitney Zink of Denver; and step-brother, Darton Zink of Tulsa.
(Tulsa World, Leslie Hueholt, Aug. 24, 1993)
Colin McKinney Zink, son of Tulsa philanthropist and millionaire John "Jack" Zink, died Saturday in a para-gliding accident near Sun Valley, Idaho. Zink, 33, of Ketchum, Idaho, was an accomplished para-glider who competed in competitions throughout the United States.
He had attended the University of Tulsa and St. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M. Funeral services are set for noon Friday at the John Zink Ranch north of Sand Springs. Wood River Funeral Chapel was handling arrangements in Idaho. Zink will be cremated. The para-gliding accident occurred about 6 p.m. Saturday, when strong winds forced Zink's glider into a spin and caused it to crash into a canyon, said Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling. "It was just driving him straight down," Femling said. Robert Parham, who was hang-gliding above Zink, told police he saw Zink's chute being blown into a canyon known as Lee's Gulch and going in circles. Lee's Gulch is often referred to as "a tricky wind area," said Femling. The men had taken off from a point a couple of miles away and were flying on the windward side of a mountain, said Greg Smith, safety director of the Ketchum Air Force, a 28-member organization. Parham landed his hang glider nearby and drove a motorcycle to Zink's crash site. Search and rescue teams were called, but Zink was dead at the scene. Zink had not actively flown in about two years and had borrowed a friend's glider with which he was unfamiliar, Smith said. A para-glider is similar to an elongated parachute, weighing less than 20 pounds. Made of nylon or Dacron, it is shaped like an air foil, Smith said. It is laid on the ground, and after its user takes a few steps, it lifts into the air. Para-gliding started in France and became popular in the United States about six years ago, Smith said. It is a popular winter sport in which people attach gliders to themselves and ski off mountains, he said. John Zink, who owned a company by the same name and Zeeco Inc., has been inducted into the Oklahoma State University Engineering Hall of Fame. He has raced cars, boats and motorcycles, and has engineered and built cars that won the Indianapolis 500, the Monza 500 in Italy, the U.S. Auto Club National Championship and the National Hot Rod Association Drag Racing Championship. Colin Zink is survived by his father; stepmother, Janet Zink of Tulsa; mother, Ellen McKinney Zink of Santa Fe, N.M.; two brothers, Neel Zink of Tulsa and Whitney Zink of Denver; and step-brother, Darton Zink of Tulsa.
(Tulsa World, Leslie Hueholt, Aug. 24, 1993)
Colin Zink, 33, Killed In Para-Gliding Crash
Colin McKinney Zink, son of Tulsa philanthropist and millionaire John "Jack" Zink, died Saturday in a para-gliding accident near Sun Valley, Idaho. Zink, 33, of Ketchum, Idaho, was an accomplished para-glider who competed in competitions throughout the United States.
He had attended the University of Tulsa and St. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M. Funeral services are set for noon Friday at the John Zink Ranch north of Sand Springs. Wood River Funeral Chapel was handling arrangements in Idaho. Zink will be cremated. The para-gliding accident occurred about 6 p.m. Saturday, when strong winds forced Zink's glider into a spin and caused it to crash into a canyon, said Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling. "It was just driving him straight down," Femling said. Robert Parham, who was hang-gliding above Zink, told police he saw Zink's chute being blown into a canyon known as Lee's Gulch and going in circles. Lee's Gulch is often referred to as "a tricky wind area," said Femling. The men had taken off from a point a couple of miles away and were flying on the windward side of a mountain, said Greg Smith, safety director of the Ketchum Air Force, a 28-member organization. Parham landed his hang glider nearby and drove a motorcycle to Zink's crash site. Search and rescue teams were called, but Zink was dead at the scene. Zink had not actively flown in about two years and had borrowed a friend's glider with which he was unfamiliar, Smith said. A para-glider is similar to an elongated parachute, weighing less than 20 pounds. Made of nylon or Dacron, it is shaped like an air foil, Smith said. It is laid on the ground, and after its user takes a few steps, it lifts into the air. Para-gliding started in France and became popular in the United States about six years ago, Smith said. It is a popular winter sport in which people attach gliders to themselves and ski off mountains, he said. John Zink, who owned a company by the same name and Zeeco Inc., has been inducted into the Oklahoma State University Engineering Hall of Fame. He has raced cars, boats and motorcycles, and has engineered and built cars that won the Indianapolis 500, the Monza 500 in Italy, the U.S. Auto Club National Championship and the National Hot Rod Association Drag Racing Championship. Colin Zink is survived by his father; stepmother, Janet Zink of Tulsa; mother, Ellen McKinney Zink of Santa Fe, N.M.; two brothers, Neel Zink of Tulsa and Whitney Zink of Denver; and step-brother, Darton Zink of Tulsa.
(Tulsa World, Leslie Hueholt, Aug. 24, 1993)
Colin McKinney Zink, son of Tulsa philanthropist and millionaire John "Jack" Zink, died Saturday in a para-gliding accident near Sun Valley, Idaho. Zink, 33, of Ketchum, Idaho, was an accomplished para-glider who competed in competitions throughout the United States.
He had attended the University of Tulsa and St. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M. Funeral services are set for noon Friday at the John Zink Ranch north of Sand Springs. Wood River Funeral Chapel was handling arrangements in Idaho. Zink will be cremated. The para-gliding accident occurred about 6 p.m. Saturday, when strong winds forced Zink's glider into a spin and caused it to crash into a canyon, said Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling. "It was just driving him straight down," Femling said. Robert Parham, who was hang-gliding above Zink, told police he saw Zink's chute being blown into a canyon known as Lee's Gulch and going in circles. Lee's Gulch is often referred to as "a tricky wind area," said Femling. The men had taken off from a point a couple of miles away and were flying on the windward side of a mountain, said Greg Smith, safety director of the Ketchum Air Force, a 28-member organization. Parham landed his hang glider nearby and drove a motorcycle to Zink's crash site. Search and rescue teams were called, but Zink was dead at the scene. Zink had not actively flown in about two years and had borrowed a friend's glider with which he was unfamiliar, Smith said. A para-glider is similar to an elongated parachute, weighing less than 20 pounds. Made of nylon or Dacron, it is shaped like an air foil, Smith said. It is laid on the ground, and after its user takes a few steps, it lifts into the air. Para-gliding started in France and became popular in the United States about six years ago, Smith said. It is a popular winter sport in which people attach gliders to themselves and ski off mountains, he said. John Zink, who owned a company by the same name and Zeeco Inc., has been inducted into the Oklahoma State University Engineering Hall of Fame. He has raced cars, boats and motorcycles, and has engineered and built cars that won the Indianapolis 500, the Monza 500 in Italy, the U.S. Auto Club National Championship and the National Hot Rod Association Drag Racing Championship. Colin Zink is survived by his father; stepmother, Janet Zink of Tulsa; mother, Ellen McKinney Zink of Santa Fe, N.M.; two brothers, Neel Zink of Tulsa and Whitney Zink of Denver; and step-brother, Darton Zink of Tulsa.
(Tulsa World, Leslie Hueholt, Aug. 24, 1993)
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