SOLE SURVIVOR OF MILITARY CRASH TO LEAVE HOSPITAL.

Byline: Associated Press

U.S. Coast Guard crews continued recovering wreckage from a downed HC-130 Hercules aircraft Tuesday, while Air Force Reserve officials said the crash's only survivor should leave the hospital shortly.

The big prize, a 40-foot section of wing, eluded Coast Guard crews, said Lt. Craig Breitung, but the boats searching the waters 55 miles off Cape Mendocino had picked up some ``medium-sized'' pieces, he said.

Much of the wreckage, including the ``black box,'' lies in 5,100 feet of water and will be difficult to recover, officials said.

The aircraft crashed into the sea late Friday, killing 10 of the 11 crewmen aboard.

The lone survivor, Tech. Sgt. Robert T. Vogel of Albany, Ore., remained hospitalized Tuesday in fair condition in Arcata.

``He's looking really good,'' said Air Force Reserve spokeswoman Karole Scott. ``He should be coming home hopefully in a day or so.''

Vogel will give his account of the crash to an Air Force safety board that will meet in a month or so, she said.

Two bodies have been recovered and the eight other crew members are missing and presumed dead.

The plane's crew, reservists with the 939th Rescue Wing's 304th Rescue Squadron based in Portland, Ore., had reported a faulty engine and electronic failure about 45 minutes before the aircraft vanished from radar.