Micron Technology CEO Steve Appleton Dies in Airplane Crash

Feb. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Steve Appleton, who took charge of Micron Technology Inc. at 34 and went on to become the memory- chip industry's longest-serving chief executive officer, died after crashing an experimental plane in Boise, Idaho. He was 51. Appleton was flying a private aircraft with a fixed wing and single engine when it crashed between two runways, said Patty Miller, a spokeswoman for the Boise airport. Appleton was the only fatality. Chief Operating Officer Mark Durcan will assume the CEO's responsibilities until a successor is chosen. "Steve's passion and energy left an indelible mark on Micron, the Idaho community and the technology industry at large," Boise-based Micron said yesterday in a statement.