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CJ Cregg Commodore
Joined: 05 Oct 2002 Posts: 1254
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:49 pm Aircraft crashes into New York building |
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Quote: | NEW YORK (CNN) -- A small airplane crashed into a 50-story residential building on Manhattan's East Side Wednesday and flames were shooting out from several windows midway up.
The Federal Aviation Administration described the plane as a "general aviation" fixed-wing aircraft flying under visual flight rules, meaning a pilot was flying by visual landmarks.
The plane hit the Belaire Condominiums, built in 1989 at 524 E. 72nd Street near the East River. More than 150 firefighters are on scene of a four-alarm fire in the building.
There was no word on casualties. NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) said it had put fighter aircraft into the air over numerous U.S. cities, though they said they had no reason to believe the event in New York was anything more than an accident, sources told CNN's Barbara Starr. It did the same thing after the September 11 2001, terrorist attacks. |
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John Luck Pickard Lieutenant
Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 150 Location: Orange Co., NY
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:43 pm |
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The pilot of this crash turns out to be Corey Lidle, pitcher for the New York Yankees, and his instructor
I am very anti-Yankees, but this is very sad indeed.
-------signature-------
"Is there a John Luck Pickard here"?, -Q, Tapestry
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Starbuck faster...
Joined: 19 Feb 2003 Posts: 8715 Location: between chaos and melody
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:57 pm |
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Flying VFR in NYC is very dangerous, things like this can happen. Its very sad, I hope everything is as well as can be expected.
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Lord Borg Fleet Admiral
Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 11214 Location: Vulcan Capital City, Vulcan
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:05 pm |
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I just heard about this when I got home. Weird, indeed. I wonder what was going on, that they were not able to move the plane...
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WeAz Commodore
Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 1519 Location: Where you aren't
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:10 pm |
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They were flying at almost 100. Doubt they had time to turn.
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Lord Borg Fleet Admiral
Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 11214 Location: Vulcan Capital City, Vulcan
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:13 pm |
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Yeah, but even in NYC, a 50 tall building don't just jump out of the middle of nowheres, they'd have to be flying low for one thing, instruments would tell them how low.
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TrekkieMage Office Junkie
Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 5335 Location: Hiding
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:57 pm |
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WeAz wrote: | They were flying at almost 100. Doubt they had time to turn. |
I've flown small planes. You see something tall coming up, he really should have had time to turn. Besides, he shouldn't be able to use the excuse that he couldn't see it, you can't fly VFR without a clear day. That and you're supposed to stay a minimum of 500 feet away from any structures (height wise).
My guess is he either misjudged or was being cocky.
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WeAz Commodore
Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 1519 Location: Where you aren't
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:05 pm |
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I think he was being cocky about his flight skill.
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John Luck Pickard Lieutenant
Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 150 Location: Orange Co., NY
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:18 pm |
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He supposedly had an instructor with him. And reports are that it seemed like he was having a problem just before he crashed. I doubt he was being cocky while flying through Manhattan. And to fly VFR through that area, I heard that you had to maintain between 700 and 1100 feet altitude, which wouldn't put him that much above the building. Also, the area he was in was not allowed ofr general aviation (without a flight plan), so him being off course so bad, with an instructor on board, and the fact that he crashed suggests it was probably mechanical and not cockiness. I've taken flight lessons, and believe me, the instructor isn't going to let you do anything that isn't to the letter of the flight book.
-------signature-------
"Is there a John Luck Pickard here"?, -Q, Tapestry
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TrekkieMage Office Junkie
Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 5335 Location: Hiding
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:53 pm |
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Quote: | There was a mayday from the pilot involving a problem with fuel |
Quote: | "It looked to me in retrospect that this was a pilot desperately trying to get back to the airport and land safely on a runway," |
If he lost more fuel in one of his tanks than the other, I'm not surprised he crashed. Also, if the weight and balance was thrown off it would have been tough to control.
It's sounding to me like a series of unfortunate events or plane slipped through the inspection.
And Pickard - I'm 90% sure that the limit is a 500ft altitude from buildings unless you're landing, but because of the size and unique conditions NY may be different.
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teya Commander
Joined: 02 Feb 2005 Posts: 423
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:54 pm |
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The building is right on the East River. Do you think he might have been trying to get over water, rather than go down into the city?
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WeAz Commodore
Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 1519 Location: Where you aren't
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:56 pm |
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I'm pretty sure the limit is higher than 500ft in NY.
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TrekkieMage Office Junkie
Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 5335 Location: Hiding
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Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:56 pm |
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I don't know the layout of NY that well. But from what I can gather he was having serious enough problems that it's possible.
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webtaz99 Commodore
Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 1229 Location: The Other Side
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Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:06 am |
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Although I am a strong proponent of general aviation, they should not have been flying over NYC below the altitude of the tallest building. One report I read mentioned that there were low-lying clouds in the area as well. The instructor should have known better. Mechanical problem or not, this should not have happened.
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"History is made at night! Character is who you are in the dark." (Lord John Whorfin)
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teya Commander
Joined: 02 Feb 2005 Posts: 423
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Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:29 am |
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They showed the flight path on the news last night. He wasn't flying over the city. He'd taken off from Teeterboro, flown south over the Hudson, around the tip of Manhattan, and then over the East River heading north when he suddenly veered off course and hit the building.
Makes me think mechanical problems or pilot error. But he was over water the entire time till he crashed.
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