Small plane crashes into building
 

Breaking news: In the upper east side of Manhattan, a small aviation plane (recently confirmed by the FAA) crashed into a residential building. It still hasnt been confirmed whether or not it's a terrorist attack or an accident.

this is terrible :(

We're following this at my office now. The FAA is saying that it looks like an accident, but they're sending fighter planes over several U.S. cities as a precaution.

Oh yeah, pretend you didn't hear about it from the chica in the Midwest :p

This just puts everyone on edge although it's a very small plan and almost certainly an accident. The biggest issues is whether the people trapped inside the apartment building can get out.

My boss just announced this. I was about ready to PM you and make sure you were all good.:)

xo_kathy...you still here with us??

I just heard from a coworker that Manhattan is "locked" and no one is allowed to leave. Anyone know if this is true or not?

Nothing on any of the local stations about that, only the area around building itself. All airports open and operating as normal for NYC with rain in area.

The stock market went down about 75 points on first news.

And so far terrorism as been knocked down the list several pegs but everything else is wide open. As for the first 30 minutes or so, everyone I saw or spoke to reaction was "OMG, not again."

Still conflicting reports over if it was a small fixed wing or helecopter.
http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusgen/...s=101120061313

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n2082923.shtml

http://wcbstv.com/

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_284145842.html

http://www.wnbc.com/news/10053779/detail.html

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...cal&id=4649965

http://www.newsradio88.com/pages/102...ntentId=221523

http://www.wins.com/pages/102378.php...ntentId=221496

http://wfan.com/apsports/BBA--High-R...rces_news_html

http://wfan.com/apsports/High-RisePl...rces_news_html

Can't find anything online.

Yankee Player's Plane
 

Just broke on WCBS-Plane owned by Yankee Pitcher C. Lidle.

Last I heard, the FDR Drive exits on 63rd & 72nd Streets are closed as is the 59th St. Bridge.

The plane was owned by a Yankee pitcher, Cory Lidle. No comment from the Yankees. They don't know if he was on board.

I heard so many sirens right before 3 pm that I had to turn on the tv to see what was happening. I swear I heard over 30 rescue vehicles pass my window. I'm fine.

That's good. :)

Do you know if public transportation is going to Queens?

Per the MTA website:

So you should be ok getting to Queens. Looks like Metro-North isn't affected either (whew!).

Thanks! I hope you're well also.

I just made a phone call, and the subway to Queens is running as usual. I don't know about the buses.

I guess aephialum covered the buses.

According to espn.com, he was killed in the crash.

The best friend who has to take Kaplan classes and then go home to Queens afterwards will be sad to hear because this means that classes aren't cancelled.

According to CNN, the FBI found his passport on the street.

4 people are also presumed dead.

How sad for Cory Lidle, his family, and the Yankees organization. :(

You are halfway around the world and getting news faster than me. I am just a few blocks away.


This is so sad. RIP Cory Lidle.

When Lidle was traded to the Yankees, I heard from a couple of journalist contacts that he was an absolutely great guy, great family man, etc.

This is such sad news - my prayers are with all those who have been affected by this tragedy.

It's because I took a sick day and am in bed watching CNN/Headline News. :o

I can only imagine what the witnesses on the streets were thinking when this happened, before they found out info about who was flying the plane.

Apparently Lidle's wife has not been notified of what happened (the Mayor said that next of kin have not been notified). I cannot imagine how horrible it must be to hear something like that on the news (not that it would feel any better hearing it directly from the authorities).

I saw that too. I was surprised to hear that next of kin wasn't notified yet. He said that they were having trouble getting a hold of them, yes?

Now they say there were 2 passengers in the plane -- an instructor and the student-pilot, but as you said, their identities weren't revealed because of the next of kin issue.

This is so awful. I can't believe it got out to the press before his wife was notified.

My thoughts are with his family, the Yankees, and my fellow Yankee fans.

RIP Cory.

I hope that you feel better.

On the news, many witnesses said that they thought it was another attack. I knew something huge was happening because I heard at least 30 different sirens in about 10 to 15 minutes. I haven't heard anything like that since that doctor blew up his townhouse this summer.

Surprisingly, there were no serious injuries on the ground or in the apartments when the plane crashed.

They have 4 confirmed deaths... 2 people were on the plane, and they had said that 2 people were on the ground/in the apartments.

Thanks! :)

Headline News said that the plane was split half, one half in the apartment (I think this was where the engine was) and that the passengers were found on the ground, where Lidle's passport was also found. Makes sense because they were able to free the passengers that way, and one was DOA at the hospital.

Of course all of these things are unconfirmed.

I didn't hear that. The Mayor said that there were only two fatalities, and they were on the plane. Two people were in an apartment when debris broke through their windows, but they escaped unharmed.

Steinbrenner has confirmed that Cory Lidle was killed and the banners on the news have changed from "feared dead" to "killed". :(

This is so sad.....:(

Yeah I didn't hear that at all. Every station is reporting different things at different times. I'm so confused now. There were other passengers in the plane? I thought it was just the instructor and Lidle. They did say an amount that were brought to the hospital, 15 of those were firefighters, one was DOA. That's confusing cuz it makes it sound like the DOA was the firefighter? Then they say one was NYPD.

My thoughts and best wishes go out to all the families and friends who have had their lives touched by this tragedy.

As one of the other threads on CG asks “What song is on your mind”:

http://www.tapsbugler.com/TapsPDFandsound.html

http://basehitter.net/newcomb/pages/navy%20hymn.html

O Spirit, Whom the Father send
To spread abroad the Firmament;
O wind of heaven, by Thy Might,
Save all who dare the eagle's flight;
And keep them by Thy watchful care
From every peril in the air.

Not sure where you are getting those reports or from whom.
Yes several members, perhaps up to 30, of both NYPD and FDNY send to the local hospitals. I have not seen or heard any reports of deaths among them. One lady admitted to hospital with 5% of body burned. Reports indicate that she may have been "next-door".

If not in general area, I would suggest checking my links above. They are for the local TV and News Radio Stations. May be a bit over loaded and slow.

But they are the ones on site. Home ground.

I've been watching Headline News all day as I don't have anything else to do. The CNN website still has conflicting information.

According to them, it was just the instructor and Lidle in the plane. The engine half was what was in the apartment. The half that contained Lidle and the instructor was what was on the ground. I didn't see pictures of the wreckage because the entire area was covered in black smoke. One of the passengers on the plane was brought to the hospital DOA. The firefighters were taken to the hospital but none had life-threatening injuries.

I don't know who the other 2 fatalies were.

CNN, Headline News, MSNBC, NBC, ABC.... should I keep going?

Ok-I am staying with WCBS ( TV & Radio ). As I indicated, they are among the local people.
And so far nothing I have seen or heard goes beyond two DOA's from plane.

But given the event and the pain and suffering that it has and will be causing, all this kind of stuff is rather minor and not needed. Everything we need to know and mostly more will be out there soon enough.

A few industy sites to keep on eye on:
http://aviation-safety.net/index.php

http://www.airsafe.com/

http://www.airline-safety-records.com/

http://www.ntsb.gov/

Here are some pictures from CNN.com:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/10/11...5.nyc.wnyw.jpg

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/10/11...5.nyc.wabc.jpg

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/10/11...1.lidle.ap.jpg

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/10/11...610.nyc.ap.jpg

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/10/11...rpt.keller.jpg

Watching one of the videos, OTW was right---the plane was cut in half, and half of it fell to the ground. One eyewitness said that the plane was about to hit his condominium, but somehow avoided it and the plane hit the Belaire which was next door. He said that the plane was out of control, that the nose of the plane kept going up and down, until it finally hit the building.

Both WCBS and WNBC are reporting that when plane made "U-Turn" back south not only was turn too wide but plane seemed to be going into a stall.

ESPN reported that there was a call from the plane reporting engine trouble or something like that.

This is an eerily appropriate picture of Lidle.

As a red sox fan, I send my condolences to the Yankees and Yankees fans everywhere. This is a tragic day.
ps. does anyone else see anything ironic in a flight instructor dying? I mean, it's hardly good advertising for the school?
pps. black humour allows us to cope in the face of tragedy.

I heard same story-some sort of a "Mayday" type call.

Most, if not all News Shows, had the tape of him flying over Philly. He seemed so happy and aware of what he was doing.

Having a couple of friends with planes and having been up there with them, I could put myself right in the seat next to him.