The head of memory chip maker Micron died when an experimental plane he was piloting banked steeply, stalled and crashed near an Idaho runway.

Steve Appleton, 51, long known for taking risks in stunt piloting, had survived a similar crash eight years ago and had a reputation as a hard-driving daredevil.
He was the only person aboard the plane when witnesses said it crashed shortly after its second take-off attempt in Boise, according to safety investigators.

The board of Micron Technology had accepted his high-octane hobbies as simply part of a work-hard, play-hard personality, but corporate governance experts had raised questions in the past about whether Mr Appleton, as chief executive, should be engaging in a hobby as risky as stunt piloting.

Micron shares were up 23 cents at 7.95 dollars yesterday before trading was halted for the announcement.

"Steve's passion and energy left an indelible mark on Micron, the Idaho community and the technology industry at large," Micron's board of directors said in a statement.