Airplane Explodes Aloft; Sportman Jim Robbins Dies Sportsman-industrialist James M. (Jim) Robbins, 50, and four other persons were killed Monday when the jet plane Robbins was piloting exploded in mid-air near Piatt, S.D. On board besides the Royal Oak businessman were his wife, Frances, 45; their son, Leslie, 17; and two of Robbins' executive managers, Clair W. Curry of Southfield and Geoffrey Scarratt of Walled Lake. Witnesses said Robbins' jet Aero Commander had just taken off from a private runway on Robbins' cattle ranch and land company 11 miles north of Piatt when the plane apparently exploded. Wreckage landed in a field two miles from the runway. Fragments . of the plane were scattered ober a 1,000-yard area. - A CAR-RACING enthusiast, KoDDms entered cars m every Indianapolis 500 race since 1950, although he never had a winner. In 1965 he entered three cars. Last May he built and sponsored two cars, one of which was involved in a crash in the opening minutes of the race. Robbins was president of a million-dollar network of firms in southwestern Michigan, headquartered at Jim Bobbins Co., Stephenson Highway and 14 Mile Road, in Royal Oak. His firms Included the larg est independent plastics, molding, fabricating and resins plant in operation. Others were involved in auto safety belts, precision machine products, sporting goods, hydraulic systems and aircraft. He owned a sporting goods and marine retail and wholesale store in Ferndale. He owned Sylvan Glen Golf Club near Rochester. 15 to 20 sod farms in Utica and Troy, and a driving range in Troy. Several years ago Robbins estimated his operations manu . factured 600 items, covering a bewildering variety of indus trial and consumer goods. CURRY, 60, of 22400 Rouge mont, Southfield, was mainte nance manager of the Royal Oak plastics plant. He was married and had two daughters. Scarrat, the father of four, lived in Walled Lake and managed Robbins' Jebbco Co. Robbins and his wife have two other children, Kathie, 22, and James Marshall, 24, who were in Detroit at the time of the accident. The family lived in Royal Oak. The party left Detroit Thursday night, a company spokesman said, and was returning home at the time of the explosion. Ironically, Robbins died in one Of the aircraft his firm repre sented. He owned Robbins Ex ecutive Aircraft Corp., a dis- Turn to Page 2A, Column 1 t James Bobbins Home Furnishings Sell Easily with Fast-Action Want Ad Mr. J.G. of Madison Heights said, "It's too bad I didn't have more living room sets to sell." He was talking about the fast sales action he received on his exclusive Free Press fast-ACTION Want Ad. If you want extra cash for items you no longer need, place your Want Ad where it reaches people with buy-ability. Dial 222-6800
