Small Plane Crashes in Austin Tx

[Spirit Dancer]

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.

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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.

[Andrew, Jr.]

I just saw this on the news. Oh how sad that person, the pilot must have felt, to do this. My hat is off to the firefighters for putting out the fire, and the hot spots.

[Diva]

I'm watching the news right now.....

Fire is still going on.
The guy they think did this had a beef with the IRS (and they are housed in this building; and have approx 199 employees).
Also, earlier today, neighbors rescued this guy's wife and daughter from their burning house.

Last night, Mr. Steck evidently went balistic because he was having severe IRS issues, and Mrs. Steck took the daughter to a hotel, came back this morning and then the house caught fire.

Mr. Steck is the registered owner of the plane which crashed into the bldg, according to the FAA.

The IRS offices in question are the ones someone might visit when one is trying to work out tax problems with the IRS.

Plane was ~ according to witnesses ~ going full throttle when it hit the bldg. with about 92 gallons of fuel on board, hence the fireball.

There are 2 in the bldg taken to hospitals and 1 unaccounted for, which is a wonderment to me that there aren't MORE as it was at the beginning of the work day when the building would have been heavily occupied.

That's all I have for now.....

[Diva]

Evidently, there is a huge rant (manifesto~6 pages long) on Facebook about tax code, his (Joe Stack) treatment by attorneys and CPAs. It's rambling, the reporter is saying.

www.kxan.com

They have it on their website. This is our NBC Austin affiliate.

Wow.....it was signed: Joe Stack (1956-2010) 02/18/2010

That was eerie.

[Diva]

There is video from Kain Shinn on Facebook.....don't know if it's on the KXAN.com site.....

[Diva]

I should be a reporter....I love this chit. <smiling>

[Spirit Dancer]

Originally Posted by Diva

I should be a reporter....I love this chit. <smiling>

Divalicious reporting live from Austin

[Daywalker]

I think his website with the letter is on this page too:


www.embeddedart.com

[WolfyOne]

Originally Posted by Daywalker

I think his website with the letter is on this page too:


www.embeddedart.com

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

[Diva]

Yeah....just reported here that the FBI has taken it down, and instructed the TV station to take it down, as well.

[Diavolo]

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.

[Daywalker]

Originally Posted by WolfyOne

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

Well, I still had the tab open, and copy n pasted it into a document.

Anyone care to have it placed in here?

[Canela]

I agree, that is entirely a terroristic act...and all because he had problems with his taxes? Please.

My hunny was so worried...hys sister works with the IRS and thankfully, it was another site where her office is, not this particular one.

I am saddened to know that an american man would do such a thing...we have been conditioned to expect that from others not homegrown in the US, but this is almost as heinous as that Nichols guy in Oklahoma. Thankfully, there weren't as many casualities although even one is too many.

I too, missed the page (site) but I am watching the TXCN news in Austin while I work...

[dreadgeek]

Originally Posted by Daywalker

Well, I still had the tab open, and copy n pasted it into a document.

Anyone care to have it placed in here?

It would be interesting to see.

Aj

[Canela]

Originally Posted by Daywalker

Well, I still had the tab open, and copy n pasted it into a document.

Anyone care to have it placed in here?

I would like to see it, yes.

[Linus]

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.

[Daywalker]

[COLOR=Black][B][FONT=Arial]

****Edited by Admin****

Sorry folks, removed for legal reasons.

Thanks.

[Daywalker]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=Black][B]Part Two:

****Edited by Admin****

Sorry folks, removed for legal reasons.

Thanks.

[I'mOneToo]

*closes eyes tightly*

[Diva]

Clearly this was not a terroist activity......not because of the ethnic ID of the pilot, but because he was clearly not stable.

No matter what...it's still 'bullshit'.....