Small Plane Crashes in Austin Tx
 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/18/tex...ex.html?hpt=T1







NEW: Witness says she saw people hanging from windows, crying for help
NEW: "Criminal or terrorist activity" not indicated, Homeland Security spokesman says
A small plane crashed into a building in the Texas capital, an FAA official says
Firefighters, equipped with a ladder truck, are presently trying to fight the blaze
(CNN) -- The latest news as it comes in to CNN from the scene of the crash of a small plane in Austin, Texas. (All times are ET, one hour ahead of local Austin time.)

12:49 p.m.: The Internal Revenue Service in Dallas, Texas, told CNN that the building is a federal IRS outsourced building. It said 199 of its employees work there. The IRS said it thinks all employees are accounted for, but they are checking.

12:42 p.m.: The pilot of the plane had set his house on fire beforehand, stole the plane and crashed it intentionally, a federal official told CNN.

Are you there? Share your photos, video, stories with CNN

12:40 p.m.: Federal officials said two F-16 fighter jets were launched as a precaution after the crash, though terrorist intent was not indicated.

The FAA reported that the plane that crashed was a Cirrus SR 22 similar to this one.12:32 p.m.: Preliminary information indicates that the plane was a Cirrus SR 22, the FAA said. A Cirrus SR22 is a single-engine four-seat aircraft.

12:32 p.m.: The FAA said the plane departed Georgetown Municipal Airport, north of Austin, about 9:40 a.m., and that the pilot did not file a flight plan.

12:18 p.m.: Witnesses described an infernal scene that shook nearby buildings and sent fire and smoke bellowing into the sky. "I just saw smoke and flames," said CNN iReporter Mike Ernest. "I could not believe what I was seeing. It was just smoke and flames everywhere."


Video: Plane crashes into building RELATED TOPICS
Austin (Texas)
Accidents and Disasters
12:11 p.m.: Harry Evans of the Austin Fire Department said firefighters found "heavy fire destruction in and around the second floor ... lots of heat, lots of smoke, lots of fire."

12:05 p.m.: Two people were transported from the crash site to University Medical Center Brackenridge, said hospital spokeswoman Matilda Sanchez. She could not provide additional information. University Medical Center Brackenridge is the only Level 1 trauma center for adults in Austin.

12:03 p.m.: Cynthia Reed, who works in the building next to the one hit, told CNN she saw people who apparently were trapped. "They were hanging out the windows, screaming for help," she said.

12:02 p.m.: "At this time we have no reason to believe there is a nexus to criminal or terrorist activity," said Matt Chandler, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. "We are in the process of coordinating with state officials and other federal partners to gather more information and at this time we will defer additional questions to local officials and the FAA."

11:44 a.m.: Firefighters used two ladder trucks and other equipment to hose down the blaze at the building, which police said was located in the 9400 block of Research Boulevard. Traffic on Southbound U.S. 183, which is adjacent to the crash site, started to snarl as black smoke poured out of the seven-story building.

11:36 a.m.: A small airplane crashed into a building in Austin, Texas, Thursday morning, according to Lynn Lundsford of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Divalicious reporting live from Austin:happyjump:

I was to late Day. They took the site offline because the FBI said so.

I feel terrible for all the families who were affected by this guy's actions.

Not to veer this off course, but why when a white guy does it it's a crime but if he had been of a different ethnicity they would be calling it terrorism? It's terrorism, plain and simple. Home grown domestic terrorism. I call bullshit.

It would be interesting to see.

Aj

Uh.. guys... I wouldn't recommend posting it here. I don't think Jack and Medusa want the FBI visiting the site. I only suggest this as a caution.

****Edited by Admin****

Sorry folks, removed for legal reasons.

Thanks.

****Edited by Admin****

Sorry folks, removed for legal reasons.

Thanks.

*closes eyes tightly*

I keep writing this and then deleting it. But I gotta say, after all...

I think the ethnicity of the perpetrator is not an issue.

Tim McVeigh was an American, and a terrorist.

I think I have been trained (by American media especially) to think of terrorism as being acts perpetrated by 'foreigners'.

Websters defines terrorism as:

"the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes."

This probably qualifies. And it is, bullshit. He could have written his letters and website and crawled in a hole and blown himself up with a grenade. But he chose to take as many as possible with him.

p.s. not picking on anyone's thoughts of the ethnicity of 'usual' terrorists.

At present the full text is available at Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...39.html?page=2

I would argue that had this man been brown skinned and named Hassan, holding every other variable constant including his suicide note, this would be played in the media as a terrorist attack (even though, strictly speaking, it is not in that although he had political grievances, his act was not meant to influence the political process).

Cheers
Aj

Why can't people get it though their heads....pay your taxes. You cannot out run or out smart the IRS. That's why we have the saying...death and taxes! It just annoys me that people bring this on themselves and then blame everyone else and victimize innocent people. Its just another person who can't take responsibility for their own choices.

Rufus

I hear what you are saying, June. But my first thought was that it is a shame we are afraid of out own government.

Rufus

Actually, that's normal. It's considered evidence in an ongoing investigation. Until the investigation is closed and everything verified, they will likely clamp down on publication of stuff (it also is for protection of his family as well).

If the gov't came to you with a warrant and said that you had to remove it, is it being afraid or being respectful of the law? I suspect that NBC got that (and I wouldn't be surprised if Huff gets it too).

Linus, yes, it is considered to be "normal" procedure but I do not believe that every action an entity of authority takes is necessary. Please do not take my post as a offense about you or your analysis. I have a great deal of respect for your ability.

Oh no. I wouldn't take offense to a valid opinion or point of view. It is valid. When one looks at it, he's dead. It's not like they can prosecute him and there's nothing -- really -- in the note that might potentially do something bad or harm.

:)

Indeed. And the sad thing is, his wife and daughter are left to deal with this mess he has created.

It's interesting because I didn't want it to be one.

I think, however, your Governor wants a reason to point fingers and be able to enforce that "I told you so.."

Exactly. .............

This is true..

Reminds me of knowing I have more than one FBI file.... The third was started due to my seeing a woman divorcing a man that was being considered for a Special Agent post! I wondered who the hell those people lurking around were..... The second was after being arrested in an anti-Vietnam War protest. The first was for attendance at a Chavez rally. LOL.. what is really funny is that I got to read the files because of my partner's husband getting that FBI job!!!


Yup, one can end up having a file in quite a few instances. No, I don't condone this man's actions at all.

Remember Tricky Dicky? :nixon: