Festival accident kills a Californian

BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. -- A woman riding an "art car" at the counterculture Burning Man festival died when she accidentally fell under the vehicle's wheels, authorities said.

The death of Katharine Lampman on Saturday was the most serious in a series of accidents at the weeklong huge desert revel, where thousands of people gather each year in a celebration of art, performance and individuality.

At least five people were taken to area hospitals after two plane crashes at the festival's temporary airstrip, and a truck bringing 30,000 pounds of ice to the remote site rolled over, slightly injuring one person, officials said Saturday.

Lampman, 21, of Belmont, Calif., was killed about 3 a.m. when she tried to get off the "art car," which is similar to a parade float, said Jamie Thompson, a spokesman for the Bureau of Land Management.

Four people were injured Saturday afternoon when their small plane crashed as it attempted to land at the festival's airstrip, about 120 miles north of Reno.

The victims were flown to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, where they were later listed in critical condition.

On Friday, another small plane crashed at the airstrip while attempting to take off, authorities said. One person involved in that wreck was taken to the hospital with back injuries and two other people sustained minor injuries, officials said.

The names of the plane crash victims were not available.

Both crashes, which involved Beechcraft BE-35 airplanes, were under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Saturday's highlight in the weeklong festival was the torching of a 70-foot-high wooden effigy of a man, the colorful ceremony for which the festival is named.

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