Micron shares dropped 5 percent at the opening bell of the NASDAQ exchange this morning, while executives at the Boise-based company remain tight-lipped about reports of their desire to purchase Japanese semiconductor chip maker Elpida Memory. Reuters reported that Micron was given exclusive rights to negotiate with the bankrupt Japanese company, which listed $5 billion in liabilities. Reuters said that Micron could be in line to purchase Elpida for $2.5 billion.

Meanwhile, Micron officials are expected to surface at several high-profile events, including today's MobileFocus event in New Orleans, one of the nation's largest showcases for portable technologies. Brian Shirley, Micron vice president of DRAM solutions, is in New York City today to address the Jefferies Global TMT Conference. Shirley is expected to address "future memory trends in the DRAM industry." Wednesday, May 9, Micron VP of NAND solutions Glen Hawk will address financial analysts at the Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Global Technology Conference in San Francisco.

Boise-based Micron Technology won the right to negotiate exclusively to buy Elpida Memory, a Japanese chipmaker, according to Reuters. Micon offered more than 200 billion yen ($2.5 billion) for Elpida. If successful with the takeover, Reuters reported that Micron could "more than double its global market share."

Currently, Samsun Electronics is the world's biggest maker of memory chips used in personal computers, but by acquiring Elpida, Micron could boost its share to 25 percent, surpassing South Korea's SK Hynix, and becoming the second-biggest player in the memory chip marketplace.

Elpida, which specializes in chips for smartphones and tablets, filed for bankruptcy protection in February, reporting 448 billion yet in liabilities. Part of Micron's offer could be used to repay Elpida's debts and part would be invested in the chipmaker's operations.

As of March 1, Micron had reported $2.1 billion in cash and short-term investments, while long-term debt totaled $2.2 billion.

Micron has settled a nearly two-year tussle with Oracle, who accused the Boise-based company of artificially inflating microchip prices. Oracle's 2010 suit claimed that several companies, including Micron, conspired to raise prices between 1998 and 2002, a violation of federal and state antitrust laws.

In a company statement late Thursday, Micron said the settlement will result in a net loss of $58 million, which pushed its total net losses for the second fiscal quarter of 2012 to $282 million.

At this morning's opening bell of the NASDAQ exchange, Micron stock dropped 2 percent to $8.25 per share.

UPDATE 12:00 p.m.

According to Boise Police, an explosion involving a piece of Micron research and development equipment erupted just before 10 a.m. this morning, two floors below ground level in building 24 D at Micron's Boise campus.

Approximately 200 people who worked in the building were evacuated. All but a handful of the employees have returned to work.

Four workers, two Micron employees and two electrical contractors were injured - one suffered a minor cut to his arm, two are being evaluated for ringing in their ears and a fourth inhaled dust during the blast. Three other workers were also being evaluated after breathing dust. None required hospitalization.

Boise Fire Haz Mat experts were able to confirm no hazardous chemicals were released as a result of the explosion.

Micron will continue to investigate the cause of the explosion.

• Courtesy Boise Fire Department
• 200 people were evacuated following explosion at Micron's Boise campus Tuesday morning.

ORIGINAL POST 11:00 a.m.

Boise Fire and Police are on the scene of an explosion at Micron's Boise plant.

Ada County dispatchers said a possible explosion was reported at 9:52 a.m.

Boise Fire Chief Dennis Doan reported, via Twitter, that a piece of research and development equipment exploded inside one of the Micron labs. At least three Micron employees were being evaluated for minor injuries.

Micron stock remained relatively steady on the NASDAQ exchange Thursday-closing at $8.71 per share-prior to late-afternoon news of a second fiscal quarter drop in sales. Micron's shares were down more than 2 percent in after-hours trading.

The Wall Street Journal reported that "declining prices continued to be an issue for the [Boise-based] chip maker, although executives cited improvements in what has been a shaky DRAM market."

Micron reported a fiscal second-quarter loss of $224 million, or 23 cents a share, compared with a profit of $72 million, or 7 cents a share, for the year-earlier period. Revenue totaled $2.1 billion, down from $2.3 billion.

Details are being released regarding this Thursday, Feb. 23's memorial service for Micron CEO Steve Appleton, who died Feb. 3 in a plane crash at the Boise Airport.

The memorial will begin at 10 a.m. at Boise State's Taco Bell Arena.

Among the speakers will be Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, Boise State President Dr. Bob Kustra, new Micron CEO Mark Durcan, Micron President Mark Adams, Boise State tennis coach Greg Patton and Greg Herrick, president of the Aviation Foundation of America.

Campus parking is limited, but free shuttles will be offered beginning at 8 a.m. from a free parking lot bordered by 11th, 13th, Front and Myrtle streets.

One week after a plane crash at the Boise Airport killed Steve Appleton, and one day after the Micron CEO was laid to rest, the National Traffic Safety Board released its preliminary report this morning on the accident.

The report said numerous witnesses watched the aircraft, a single-engine experimental Lancair, climb about 5 to 10 feet in the air before touching back down on the runway. Appleton taxied back toward the west end of the airport, and departed again a few minutes later, climbing to about 100 to 200 feet.

"It then made a steep bank to the left and began to roll while rapidly losing altitude," reads the NTSB report. "The airplane completed about one revolution and impacted terrain in a nose-low attitude."

The report also includes some of the radio communications between Appleton and air traffic controllers.

"We're going to here and stop. We've got a problem," said Appleton before landing the plane the first time. "I'm going to taxi back and see if I can figure it out."

Approximately seven minutes later, Appleton told a controller that he would like to depart and "stay in the traffic pattern."

At approximately 8:55 a.m., Appleton's last transmission was:

"Like to turn back in and ... um ... land ... coming back in."

According to the report, the main wreckage was located about 80 feet from the initial impact of the aircraft. The main wreckage had sustained thermal damage and consisted of the engine, inboard portion of the left wing and fuselage.

A complete, detailed report could take as long as 12 months to finish.

• Mark Durcan was elected as Micron's new CEO by the company's board on Saturday.

Nearly 6,000 men and women are expected to return to work at Micron's Boise facility tomorrow morning after the loss of the company's CEO Steve Appleton.

Mark Durcan, their new boss, has taken over the reins of one of Idaho's largest private employers following Friday's plane crash at the Boise Airport, which killed Appleton.

Durcan had announced on Jan. 27 that he would retire in August, stepping down from his position of president and chief operating officer. Durcan was named interim CEO late Friday, and on Saturday, Micron's board of directors formally appointed him to the position on a permanent basis. The Saturday announcement made no mention of Durcan's earlier retirement plans.

"Mark has been instrumental in Micron's success in his role as president and chief operating officer and has garnered the respect of the company, his team members and the industry at large," said Robert Switz, Micron's new board chairman. Switz, a director with the company since 2006 was elected to chairman on Saturday.

Shortly before Friday's formal announcement of Appleton's death, Micron stock was suspended on the NASDAQ exchange. Tomorrow morning, Micron will begin trading at $7.95 a share. In Feb. 2011, Micron was trading at $11.70, but in Oct. 2011, it traded as low as $4.33.

A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board into Friday's plane crash that killed Micron CEO Steve Appleton is expected in five days. A final NTSB investigation into the crash at Boise Airport may take anywhere from six to 12 months. But the Federal Aviation Administration issued a safety warning two years ago on the experimental high performance plane, which crashed at the Boise Airport killing Appleton.

Witnesses told officials Friday that they saw Appleton's aircraft "make a steep bank, stall and roll into the ground." According to the eyewitnesses the plane crash-landed upside down between two airport runways at aproximately 9 a.m. on Friday.

The Lanceair 4 experimental aircraft was the subject of a March 2010 FAA safety advisory, which said the plane could "expose pilots to additional risk during slow-speed operations while close to the ground and with little time to recover from an unintentional stall."

UPDATE 2:15 p.m.

According to a spokeswoman with the National Transportation Safety Board, Steve Appleton, piloted his Lanceair, single engine aircraft on two flights this morning - one lasting less than a minute before returning to a hangar, and a second, minutes later which was fatal.

According to the NTSB, Appleton took off from the Boise Airport in his aircraft at 8:46 a.m., became airborne for only 5 to 10 feet, landed again and taxied back to a hangar.

The NTSB confirmed that Appleton taxied his aircraft again at 8:54 a.m.. By 8:56 a.m., the aircraft had reached 100-200 feet, but then Appleton requested to return to the airport. That was the last recorded communication, before the aircraft crashed between two of the Boise Airport's runways.

Official reaction to today's death of Steve Appleton has begun to come in from the halls of Congress, Boise City Hall and the campus of Boise State, which houses the Appleton Tennis Complex and the under-construction Micron Business and Economics Building, which is slated to open later this year.

Boise State President Bob Kustra called Appleton, "one of Boise's State's own."

"A former Bronco tennis player who never forgot his alma mater," remembered Kustra. "Steve graduated in businss and went on to lead one of the nation's premier companies and enrich in so many ways the community he called home."

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter remembered Appleton as "a philanthropist and a great friend to Boise."

"He will be remembered as a major force in Idaho history - a man who transformed our state's economy by redefining what is possible for Idaho business."

U.S. Sen. Jim Risch called Appleton a good friend whose passing "has shocked and saddened our entire family."

"Recently we worked together closely on patent reform legislation," said Risch. "We also talked often about his love of flying and what was new in that part of his life."

Bill Connors, President and CEO of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce said Appleton "played a major role" in community organizations.

"He was an example to all of us what great corporate citizens can do to transform their companies, and their communities," said Connors. "The entire business community has lost a great leader, visionary and friend."

ORIGINAL STORY 12:00 p.m.

Steve Appleton, the chairman and CEO of Micron Technology, was killed this morning in a small plane crash at the Boise Airport. He was 51.

The airport confirmed that a small Lanceair experimental aircraft crashed around 9 a.m., coming down between two runways. The Lanceair is a single-engine prop plane. Appleton was the only person on board.

Emergency crews confirmed that they had received a report of a fire aboard the aircraft before it crashed.

In July 2004, Appleton crashed another plane south of Boise. At the time, he was piloting an Extra 300L stunt plane. He walked away from the wreck after the plane stalled and crashed south of the Idaho State Correctional Institution. He and a passenger, a member of a Micron film crew, were treated and released from Saint Alphonsus Hospital. At the time, Appleton suffered head and neck injuries.

Appleton was scheduled to host an analyst conference next Friday, Feb. 10, to provide Micron’s strategy for the future.

Micron, one of the largest employers in Idaho, is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Micron manufactures and markets DRAM, NAND and NOR flash memory for the consumer and commercial marketplace.

Appleton is survived by his wife, Dalynn, and his children.

UPDATE 12:59 p.m.

UPDATE 1:17 p.m.

• Source: Yahoo Finance
• Micron's stock performance today.

• Source: Yahoo Finance
• Micron's stock performance over the last five years.