Icy Wings a Factor in Kulwicki Crash

Icing may have contributed to a plane crash that killed NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki and three others, a preliminary federal report suggested Monday.

The National Transportation Safety Board report, which drew no conclusions, also noted that a de-icing mechanism in the plane’s propeller assembly system “was intact but exhibited no electrical continuity.”

It could be two more months before the safety board issues its completed report.

Hockey

The Mighty Ducks plan to open the season with former St. Louis backup Guy Hebert and former Edmonton backup Ron Tugnutt sharing the starting goaltender’s position, Coach Ron Wilson said.

The Ducks trimmed their roster to 28 players Monday, assigning goaltenders Allan Bester and Mikhail Shtalenkov and three other players to the San Diego Gulls, their minor league affiliate.

Hebert, 26, and Tugnutt, 25, are expected to share the position because Wilson believes the job of expansion goalie is too trying for one player, and splitting the duty will give the goalies “time to recuperate” from the high number of shots they are likely to face.

Tom Webster will fill in for Craig Ramsay as assistant coach of the Florida Panthers while Ramsay recovers from surgery.

Boxing

David Kamau stopped Cesar Valdez of Mexico at 2:24 of the second round in a scheduled 12-round junior-welterweight bout at the Forum.

Kamau, 140 pounds, improved to 21-0 with 17 knockouts.Valdez, also 140, fell to 16-5-1 with 14 knockouts.

The World Boxing Council confirmed that Mickey Vann will be the referee for Friday night’s world heavyweight title fight between Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno in Cardiff, Wales.

Vann has been at the center of controversy for judging the Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez bout a draw earlier this month.

Soccer

Scandal-plagued Olympique Marseille was barred Monday from playing in the Intercontinental Cup, which is soccer’s world club championship, and the European SuperCup.

FIFA also imposed worldwide suspensions on former Marseille General Manager Jean-Pierre Bernes, former Marseille player Jean-Jacques Eydelie and former Valenciennes players Christophe Robert and Jorge Burrachaga, all accused in an alleged bribery scandal. Bernes is accused of a scheme in which Eydelie allegedly offered to pay Robert and Burrachaga 250,000 francs ($43,000) to go easy in a May 20 French League match, won 1-0 by Marseille. Marseille had been stripped of its 1992-93 French League title.

Horse Racing

A jockey who hid in thick fog at the start of a 1990 race at Delta Downs, waited in the fog while the other mounts rounded the track, then crossed the finish line to “win” by 24 lengths pleaded guilty to perjury for lying about the scam during a previous trial.

Sylvester Carmouche was charged with perjury after confessing to Louisiana racing officials this year as part of failed bid to regain his jockey license.

Carmouche was sentenced to a suspended three-year jail term, two years of probation, 720 hours of community service, a $500 fine and undetermined court costs.

Figure Skating

Six judges, including Elenor Curtis of Granada Hills, were reinstated after being suspended for allegedly overlooking illegal moves during ice dancing at this year’s world championships.

An appeals panel of the International Skating Union said the meet’s ice dance referee improperly failed to notify the judges of the investigation until after the event.

Names in the News

Clive Toye became president of the World Cup 1994 New York Host Committee. Toye will coordinate all World Cup related activities in New York.