Aircraft hits Manhattan building; 2 dead


By COLEEN LONG, Associated Press Writer
28 minutes ago


NEW YORK - A small plane crashed into an Upper East Side high-rise Wednesday, shooting flames out the windows, raining debris on the sidewalks below and rattling New Yorkers' nerves exactly one month after the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. Police confirmed 2 people are dead.

Christine Monaco, a New York spokeswoman for FBI, said there was no indication of terrorism, but that officials "have been sent to the scene as a routine." FAA spokesman Jim Peters said all three New York City-area airports were operating normally.

"The initial indication is that there is a terrible accident," said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke.

The aircraft struck the 20th floor of a building on East 72nd Street, said Fire Department spokeswoman Emily Rahimi. Witnesses said the crash caused a loud noise, and flames were seen shooting out of the windows.

"It's a mob scene with police and helicopters circling," said Sandy Teller, watching from his apartment a block away. "There's a dozen ambulances and lots of firefighters waiting on 72nd, on the corner. There's lots of stretchers ready, gurneys. And lots of emergency people waiting."

The crash struck fear in a city devastated by the attacks of Sept. 11 five years ago. Witnesses said sirens echoed across the east side of Manhattan as emergency workers rushed to the scene. The crash triggered a loud bang. Broken glass and debris was strewn around the neighborhood.

"There's a sense of helplessness," Teller said. "Cots and gurneys, waiting. It's a mess."

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was too early to determine what type of aircraft was involved, or what might have caused the crash in the middle of a hazy October afternoon.

Richard Drutman, a professional photographer who lives on the building's 11th floor, said he was speaking on the telephone when he felt the building shake.

"There was a huge explosion. I looked out my window, and saw what appeared to be pieces of wings, on fire, falling from the sky," Drutman said.

He and his girlfriend quickly evacuated the building.

The address of the building is 524 E. 72nd Street — a 50-story condominium tower built in the late 1980s and located near Sotheby's auction house. The Belaire Condo, developed by William Zeckendorf Jr., has 183 apartments, many of which sell for more than $1 million.

Several lower floors of the building are occupied by doctors and administrative offices, as well as guest facilities for family members of patients at the Hospital for Special Surgery, hospital spokeswoman Phyllis Fisher said. No patients were in the high-rise building and operations at the hospital a block away weren't affected, Fisher said. The Hospital for Special Surgery specializes in orthopedic operations.



http://news.yahoo.com/fc/Business/Aviation_and_Aerospace/

:(

I just read on Yahoo that some guy from the Yankees was on that plane.

Yeah, I just heard that on the news...

Two killed in Manhattan aircraft crash By Christine Kearney
20 minutes ago



NEW YORK (Reuters) - At least two people were killed when a small aircraft crashed into a 52-story building on Manhattan's Upper East Side on Wednesday in what appeared to be an accident, officials said.

The four-seat plane was owned by Yankees baseball pitcher Cory Lidle, sources at the New York police department told Reuters. The FAA confirmed the plane was owned by Lidle, 34. CNN said the pilot of the plane was Lidle and he was believed to have been killed.

U.S. and New York officials said they had no reason to believe the crash, which occurred in overcast weather, was related to terrorism.

A New York police department spokeswoman said the crash killed two people and possibly more.

Military fighter jets patrolled several U.S. cities as a precaution, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

"NORAD fighters are airborne over numerous cities. They are airborne now as a prudent measure," said NORAD spokeswoman Kyle Combs. She did not say which cities were being patrolled, or how many, but added the fighters were sent up right after the plane crashed into the building.

On Wall Street, U.S. stocks extended losses but quickly recovered once it became clear the crash was not an attack similar to the hijacked plane attacks of September 11, 2001.

"We have no reason to believe at this point that it is terrorist related," said New York City Police Chief Michael Collins.

Kathy Robinson, a spokeswoman for New York Presbyterian hospital said the facility had taken in one dead person and nine injured people in its emergency room.

The plane took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, just miles from Manhattan, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman told Reuters, adding he did not know how many people were on board.

The aircraft crashed at East 72nd St. and York Avenue, near the East River, a 1980s building housing mainly upscale residential apartments but which also has a specialized hospital on the bottom 12 floors.

MEMORIES OF SEPT. 11

Luis Gonzales, 23, was working in the building remodeling a nearby apartment and saw the crash.

"I was looking out the window and I saw the plane coming so close to us and it swerved to try and avoid the building but it hit the building," he said. "It was a small plane. We went knocking on doors to try and see if people needed to get out, but we did not get any answers."

"I am still shaking," he said.

Smoke and flames poured from the upper floors of the high-rise building and more than 100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, reviving memories of the September 11 attacks.

"It's really bad. Flames are shooting from the building. I was on my terrace and I saw it," said witness Tressa Octave, who lives two blocks away.

The Federal Aviation Administration said preliminary information indicated the crash was a small plane.

The plane was flying by visual flight rules, meaning the pilot does not have to be in contact with air traffic controllers.

Justice Department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said, "The initial assessment is that it probably just was a bad accident."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said President George W. Bush was aware of the crash in New York and "we're gathering facts" about it. He said White House not commenting at this point on determining what happened.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Joanna Gonzalez said, "There is no indication of a terror nexus at this time. There's no specific or credible intelligence suggesting an imminent threat to the homeland at this time."

The FAA said it imposed temporary flight restrictions in the area following the crash and caused some departure delays at LaGuardia airport

:(

:(

It's just hard to believe it was an accident after 9/11.

That was my first thought when I read about it..

when i heard about it i just ehard it was a plane. i was like omg. then i heard the Cory Lindle was on it and i broke down. its so sad.

that was the first thing that went through my head. 'Oh God not another 9/11.'

that is very sad for the Yankees though. Condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

My husband told me over the phone that another plane had flown into a building in NY, and I immediately thought, "Oh no, not again."

Prayers to all involved.

:( Thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims.

i know this is really quite old but if you write the date the plane crashed in the city, 10-11-06 and you flip it over it becomes 90-11-01 if you exclude the 0 after the 9 it would be 9-11-01.. isn't that scary... my friend told me in class and i literally freaked out i got such an eerie feeling... i told my mom and she said wow

woah. coincidence?

I saw this and i'm like, geez, another building hit?! But then I saw it was old. :wacko: