Aircraft Crashes into NY Building

Sputtering engine heard just prior to the crash.

Damned if I know, but I would assume so. There are buses which run on York Avenue, as well as on 72nd Street, which is a major East/West street.

Aircraft involved was a Cirrus SR20 - I'll look for a picture a little later. Its a relatively new plane, a high performance, largely composite 4-seater. It left Teeterboro airport not long before the crash.


Reports now are that 4 are confirmed dead - not certain, but it seems to me all confirmed dead were aboard the aircraft.

To my eye, the fires appear to be fully contained, and control has been gained. I see only one area of intense burning now, and its smoke signature indicates it is being attacked effectively.

Excellent.

I have never seen an aircraft doing aerobatics over the East River in my 35 years of living in my apartment overlooking the river. What the viewer took for aerobatics might have been the pilot trying to recover from a stall of unknown origin.

2 dead in plane and 2 dead from debris on the street.

Are you sure that's the right plane, 'cause that plane looks like the kind that can land on water.

CNN- Correspondent reported a m'aidez call to the F.A.A. about a fuel problem, which might indicate that it was an accident. Apparently the plane was banking peculiarly, which would indicate that the pilot was in trouble.

Yeah ... seems 2 of the dead were aboard the aircraft, two were on the street below, killed by falling debris. No further reports - at this time - of any other deaths.

From an online freind who is able to monitor FDNY radio communications, I understand the situation is under control, no more manpower or equipment enroute, additional runs cancelled with those units not yet on scene released, some units which had been on scene now being recalled, full search of building is under way. According to what he's heard, the main impact was between 39th and 40th floor, the immediate impact and fire essentially taking out at least 4 condos on 2 floors, falling debris and burning fuel causing further damage on the way down.

The aircraft is being reported as registered to a NY Yankees player, Cory Lydle (sp?) - no hard info on who was at controls or aboard.

The Cirrus SR20 comes equipped with a parachute system designed to lower the entire plane to the ground safely.

LINK

The Yankees are waiting for confirmation that the plane belonged to Corey Lytle, who is a pitcher with the team.

Correct, I've listened to it as well.

That's the right type of plane - those aren't floats, those are streamlining fairings on the aircrat's fixed (non-retractable) landing gear.

For those who may be unaware, BTW, I have some familiarity both with firefighting and with light aircraft.

Cory Lidle was just traded to the Yankees from Philly this summer. One of the knocks on Lidle from a teammate was: "The only thing Cory Lidle wants to do is fly around in his airplane and gamble. He doesn't have a work ethic."

The Yankees are out of the playoffs. Wonder if Lidle was at the controls ....

FBI has found Corey Lidle's passport in the street. There is a conflicting report that an instructor was with Lidle, and another that he was alone.

ESPN is reporting htat Lidle was indeed the pilot.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2621860

Rest in peace, however the difficulty happened.

Latest reports are that all 4 confirmed dead were aboard aircract - aircraft confirmed as being registered to Lidle, who is among the dead aboard plane.

Weather does not seem to have been a factor. While mechanical failure cannot yet be discounted, indications are that was not a proximate causitive factor either ... it would appear the plane was where it wasn't supposed to be, doing something it wasn't supposed to be doing.

I don't know my way around NYC, but isn't Lola & Bernie's place on the East Side? Does anyone know if they were close to this building?