PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz was killed along with six other people in a fiery plane crash in Massachusetts, just days after ending an ugly ownership dispute with a deal many hoped would end months of turmoil at the newspaper and restore it to its former glory.  His son, Drew, and a business partner confirmed Katz’s death in a crash of a Gulfstream IV private jet, which went down on takeoff from Hanscom Field outside Boston on its way to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday night. There were no survivors.  “My father was my best friend. He taught me everything. He never forgot where and how he grew up, and he worked tirelessly to support his community in countless ways that were seen and unseen," Drew Katz said in a statement. "He loved his native city of Camden and his adopted home of Philadelphia. He believed in strengthening education through his founding of charter schools, his support of the Boys & Girls Clubs and his generosity to his alma maters, Temple University and Dickinson Law School. But his greatest accomplishment by far was being the most amazing father to my sister and me, and grandparent to his four grandchildren.”  On Tuesday, Katz and Harold H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest struck a deal to gain full control of the Inquirer as well as the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com by buying out their co-owners for $88 million — an agreement that ended a very public feud over the Inquirer’s business and journalism direction.  Katz, who had been an investor in the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network, bought the Nets in 1998 and owned the team when they reached the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He sold the team in 2004 to Bruce Ratner.  He also owned the Devils for a few years before also selling the team in 2003 to Jeff Vanderbeek.  The New York Yankees held a moment of silence in Katz’s honor before Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins.  Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees managing general partner issued a statement to express the organization’s deepest, heartfelt sympathies to his family.  “Lewis was a minority owner of the Yankees and a valued, long-time friend and colleague to so many of us within the organization,” the statement read. “We will cherish his sense of humor, intellect, and deep sense of philanthropy. Lewis had a huge heart and was always there when someone needed help. He will forever be remembered.”  NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Katz a trusted friend and valued member of the NBA family.  “He was a visionary businessman who touched the lives of so many with his tireless pursuit of innovation and enterprise, as well as his deep commitment to his family, friends and community,” Silver said in a statement. "Among his many accomplishments were having led his Nets teams in 2002 and 2003 to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. I send my deepest condolences to the Katz family during this very difficult time."  James P. Leeds, town commissioner of Longport, New Jersey, said his 74-year-old wife, Anne, was also aboard the plane. He received a text from Anne just four minutes before the crash saying they were about to take off, he said.  Anne Leeds, a retired preschool teacher, had been invited by her neighbor Katz on Saturday to attend an education-related function, James Leeds said. They left Longport at about 2 p.m., attended the event and went to dinner in Boston, he said.  Susan Asbell of Cherry Hill, New Jersey - the wife of former Camden County Prosecutor Sam Asbell – was a third victim on board, reports NBC10 Philadelphia.  Officials gave no information on the cause of the crash. They said the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.  When bidding on the company, Katz and Lenfest vowed to fund in-depth journalism to revive the Inquirer and to retain its editor, Bill Marimow.  “It’s going to be a lot of hard work. We’re not kidding ourselves. It’s going to be an enormous undertaking,” Katz said then, noting that advertising and circulation revenues had fallen for years. “Hopefully, (the Inquirer) will get fatter.”  Katz, who grew up in Camden, New Jersey, was a major donor to Temple University, his alma mater.  The fight over the future of the city’s two major newspapers was sparked last year by a decision to fire the Inquirer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning editor. Katz and Lenfest wanted a judge to block the firing. Katz sued a fellow owner, powerful Democratic powerbroker George Norcross, saying his ownership rights had been trampled. The dispute culminated last week when Katz and Lenfest, a former cable magnate-turned-philanthropist, bought out their partners.  Lenfest said Sunday that the deal to buy out the company will be delayed but will proceed.  Three previous owners of the company, including Norcross, said in a joint statement that they were deeply saddened to hear of Katz’s death.  “Lew’s long-standing commitment to the community and record of strong philanthropy across the region, particularly Camden where he was born and raised, will ensure that his legacy will live on,” they said.  When the crash occurred, nearby residents saw a fireball and felt the blast shake their homes. Jeff Patterson told The Boston Globe he saw a fireball about 60 feet high and suspected the worst.  “I heard a big boom, and I thought at the time that someone was trying to break into my house because it shook it,” said Patterson’s son, 14-year-old Jared Patterson. “I thought someone was like banging on the door trying to get in.”  The air field, which serves the public, was closed after the crash. Responders were still on the scene Sunday morning.  Hanscom is about 20 miles northwest of Boston. The regional airport serves mostly corporate aviation, private pilots and commuter air services.
Lewis Katz, former owner of the New Jersey Nets and New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia media mogul, was one of the seven victims aboard the fatal private plane crash in Massachusetts Saturday night.