Commuter Plane Crashes Into NYC Apt. Building

Latest according to the radio states it was a small commuter plane that crashed into an expensive apartment building on 72nd St. in NYC. Check Hot Air for updates and more. So far the FBI isn't seeing anything to suggest a terrorism attack.

A small aircraft crashed into a high-rise on the Upper East Side, setting off a fire and startling New Yorkers, police said. There were conflicting reports on whether the aircraft was a small plane or a helicopter.

Fire Department spokeswoman Emily Rahimi said an aircraft struck struck the 20th floor of a building on East 72nd Street. Witnesses said the crash caused a loud noise, and burning and falling debris was seen. Flames were seen shooting out of the windows. Video from the scene showed at least three apartments in the high rise fully engulfed in flames.

"There's huge pieces of debris falling," said one witness who refused to give her full name. "There's so much falling now, I've got to get away."

Comments

[xxx]

It is great to see after spending BILLIONS on "homeland security" thaty we appear to be unable to prevent an accident such as a plane flying into a tall building in New York City...but I am heartened to kmow that we are very, very able to prevent Arab Americans from legally buying too many cell phones.

What a sad and tragic joke.

If we can't prevent a freaking accident just like 9/11 in the same city that 9/11 occured in, why would anyone but a complete moron believe that Bush has made us SAFER?

If we can't prevent accidents like this how could we prevent an act of terror?????????

[warrenb]

Dan I bet you think the Democrats crashed the plane into the building because the people who lived there were GOP cronies?

[Dan Riehl]

Dan I bet you think the Democrats crashed the plane into the building

Don't be so disrespectful, Warrenb. Besides, my money is on Karl Rove. ; )

[xxx]

It's getting to the point I might reconsider my belief in divine intervention.

The party that is keeping us safe can't keep us safe from planes in NYC flying into buildings.

The party that is winning the war in Iraq, cept for those 600,000 dead Iraqi's, which whatever NeoCon freaks want to say about The Lancet...when Georgie tells me their data is flawed I have to laugh, coming from the same moron who was sure it was a slam dunk that Iraq was chock full of WMB and enriched uranium.

And of course the family values, gay marriage hating party has one of its own turn out to be a gay pervert hitting on high school boys.

If it wasn't such a tragedy it would be LOL ironic

[Phoenix]

xxx -

"If it wasn't such a tragedy it would be LOL ironic"

You talking about "If we can't prevent a freaking accident just like 9/11 "?

So, 9/11 was an accident?

Come on, cretin, you can do better than that...

[joe]

Let's hope everyone is ok! It brings bad memories though... Anyway, I do hope that New Yorkers are more precautious now. It's incredible how being proactive and carrying a simple Breath of Life emergency escape mask (http://www.TechnonLLC.com/pd1) can save your life in a situation like this.

[xxx]

No, creten, my point was if we can't prevent a yankee pitcher from accidentally ramming a NYC skyscraper we have virtually NO CHANCE of preventing an actual terrorist attack, you know, when people make plans, conduct dry runs and so forth...

The idea that any plane could accidentally crash into any building in New York City after 9/11 is ridiculous.

But, happily, we've made sure that terrorists arent' transporting explosive's in grandma's bra or grandpa's belt buckle.

Homeland security is a total joke.

[xxx]

PS..

To help your comprehension.

Accident just like 9/11.

See, planes were flown into two big tall buildings in New York City on 9/11 in a terrorist attack.

Today, a plane was flown into a big tall building in New York City.

See the parallel? Planes flying into big tall buildings in New York City??????????

[Phoenix]

You misspelled 'cretin', Dufus.

9/11 was NOT an accident. Thus, there is no way you can make your comparison using the word 'like'.

And using passive voice, as if no one intended it to happen, hardly supports your thesis that both were 'alike'.

"....planes were flown into two big tall buildings...." Yes. BY terrorists with intent to fly that plane into the building.
"....a plane was flown into a big tall building in New York City." Yes. With no intent to fly that plane into big building.

Therefore, just like your grandiose generalizing that proves you don't mind losing every argument you attempt to make, using passive voice and taking the action away from the players does not make this argument valid in the least.

[Viking Vet]

xxx,

9/11 was NOT an accident. What's so far-fetched about a small plane crashing into a building? What are they supposed to do if a small plane is off course -- shoot it down and make death inevitable instead of somehow trying to save the plane and pilot?

It is silly to assume that we are either more OR less safe post-9/11. Both the left and right are wrong on this one. There is no way of knowing! Two attacks over an 8 year period (the WTC bombings in '93 and the 9/11 attacks) do not a robust sample size make! So far, it seems as though the measures have had an effect because there hasn't been a major attack on US soil since. But then again, there was only one before 9/11, and that had occurred 8 years earlier. All it takes is one event and suddenly it appears (rightly or wrongly) that we are less safe.

[xxx]

Like (adj) Having the same characteristics; similar 1. similar to 2. similarly to 3. characteristic of 4. in the mood for 5. indicative of.

Sooo, um, spelling aside I would say that 9/11 and what happened yesterday have many of the same characteristics, so why don't you shut the f. up with your grammar and spelling lessons...and try winning or losing your arguments on the substance.

[xxx]

Like (adj) Having the same characteristics; similar 1. similar to 2. similarly to 3. characteristic of 4. in the mood for 5. indicative of.

Sooo, um, spelling aside I would say that 9/11 and what happened yesterday have many of the same characteristics, so why don't you shut the f. up with your grammar and spelling lessons...and try winning or losing your arguments on the substance.

[xxx]

Wait for get that, I forgot, you guys are virtually incapable of even arguing the substance....

So, when I post that what happened yesterday is an indication of a failure of security, instead of addressing that, you attack my spelling and my use of language.

Typical, typical, typical.

[basil]

I think it's better to focus on why small planes can fly amidst a densely populated area without requiring contact with the airport control tower. That seems ridiculous to me. Any why are planes even allowed near cities anyway? If we freaking worried about them crashing, whether that be accident or not, then how about making urban areas like NY a 'no fly zone'?

[xxx]

Of course it's ridiculous.

It is especially ridiculous in light of the fact that you can now theoretically go to prison for 20 years for accidentally bringing your shampoo or your nail clippers on a commercial flight but there appears to be no regulation whatsoever to deal with small planes in major urban areas.

You would think then, that maybe a terrorist might prefer to load up one of these small unregulated planes with home made explosives rather than trying to sneak explosives onto a commerical flight via grandma's wheelchair or the business traveler's bra/pants/laptop and so forth.

But, apparently these terrorists are so dumb and inept that they simply aren't going to think of anything like that and we can feel secure that by virtually assaulting millions of innocent American travelers we can keep ourselves safe.

Ridiculous is a huge understatement.

[basil]

You would think then, that maybe a terrorist might prefer to load up one of these small unregulated planes with home made explosives rather than trying to sneak explosives onto a commerical flight via grandma's wheelchair or the business traveler's bra/pants/laptop and so forth.

Exactly. I remember the fervor of profiling individuals at the security check pts but everyone overlooked the concept of a white, blonde haired blue eyed 3rd degree blackbelt pregnant woman gaining access to the cockpit.