Nice looking aircraft.
Posted on 12/05/2002 10:53:10 PM PST by Bobby777
MIAMI (AP) - A small plane crashed into the Federal Reserve (news - web sites) Bank Building during a holiday party on Thursday night, killing the pilot, authorities said. No one inside the building was injured.
"It appears to be an accident," said Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) spokeswoman Laura Brown in Washington.
More than 100 people including the bank's directors were in the one-story building when the experimental aircraft slammed into the northeast side, and burst into flames. The Miami bureau of The Associated Press is also in the building.
Brown said the FAA believes the plane was coming from Marathon in the Florida Keys and traveling to New Smyrna Beach on Florida's central east coast.
The plane crashed about three miles west of Miami International Airport, and the pilot contacted air traffic controllers there, airport spokeswoman Tere Estorino said. Airport officials previously reported they were not contacted.
The aircraft, a Four Winds 192 made in July, was flying north before making a sharp turn southeast and crashing, said Alan Yurman, spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites). Witnesses did not report seeing smoke from the engine, he said.
"One of the witnesses said they saw it at about 500 feet and it was wobbly," said Alan Yurman.
The pilot, who was the only one aboard, has not been identified, Yurman said.
The FBI (news - web sites) was keeping in close contact with investigators, said FBI Miami spokeswoman Judy Orihuela.
When the plane hit, Jay Curry, vice president and branch manager, was attending a holiday party along with current and former directors of the bank, a branch of the Federal Reserve in Atlanta.
"When we first came out of and walked around the side, it was really hard to determine that it was a plane," Curry said.
Some windows were broken but there appeared to be no structural damage to the building.
The bank is just north of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in 32 nations and 12 dependencies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
I suppose we'll never know who the pilot was now.
Especially if his name is Muhammed or Akmed....
Nice looking aircraft.
 Reuters |
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Slideshow: Aircraft Hits Miami Federal Reserve |
It just happened to be a Federal Reserve Bank building. The Christmas party just happened to be for the Federal Reserve Bank past and present directors. And the building just happened to be occupied by AP and a total of 100 people. And it just happened to be the last day of ramadan.
The plane was flying north (toward the airport) before making a sharp turn southeast and crashing into the building.
Witnesses did not report seeing smoke from the engine
Airport officials previously reported they were not contacted.
There was only one occupant on the plane.
The "accident" occurs right after we get the "warning" that we may be attacked on the 5th or 6th.
And on top of all that, The bank is just north of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in 32 nations and 12 dependencies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Nah, couldn't be anything more than a routine transportation accident.
Ah, for the good old days when all you had to look for was a parking space near the door... (which isn't necessairly where you want to park these days :)
But Jeff Rahm, president of Four Winds Aircraft in New Smyrna Beach, said Friday that two of the company's employees died in the crash.
Rick Grannis, a salesman and instructor for the firm, was the pilot, and sales manager Garry Williams was the passenger, Rahm said.
"We have no answers," Rahm said. "There was an inflight engine fire and that's all we're able to tell at this time. ... The plane itself was fine, but what engine problems they had, we don't know."
Grannis and Williams flew to Marathon Airport on Thursday afternoon to attend a Christmas party of the Young Eagles flying club, said club president Ed Waldorf. They had asked to show the prototype plane to the group and gave several club members rides in the plane, Waldorf said.
------------------------------
Two employees, not muslim, had been given flights all day, engine fire before crash.
Take off your tinfoil people.
Two Killed As Small Plane Hits Miami Federal Bank
[pilot and passenger identified: NON-muslim?]
Associated Press (via Yahoo! News) ^ | December 6, 2002 | WJXT News4Jax.com - AP
Posted on 12/06/2002 6:46 AM PST by RonDog
Two Killed As Small Plane Hits Miami Federal BankA employees [sic] of an New Smyrna Beach aircraft company were killed when their small plane crashed into the Federal Reserve (news - web sites) Building in Miami Thursday night.
One body was found in the wreckage, and a second victim was found on a neaby golf course about 6 a.m. Friday morning.
As the plane struck the building west of the Miami International Airport about 9 p.m., as more than 100 employees were inside the building celebrating a holiday party.
Officials say the aircraft clipped the building, then burst into flames.
"The first fire rescue units responded within three minutes. When they got here they found on the east side of the Federal Reserve Bank here in Miami, a small plane fully engulfed," said Miami Fire Dept. Chief Luis Fernandez.
"We got out the building as fast as we could," said one employee.
"It's scary," said another.
No one inside the building was hurt.
Just a few hours after the crash, crews were using heavy equipment to remove the wreckage of the single-engine experimental aircraft, an American flag emblazoned on its tail.
Four Winds Aircraft president Jeff Rahm of New Smyrna Beach said two of the company's employees died in the crash. He says Rick Grannis, who was a salesman and instructor for the firm, was the pilot. Sales manager Garry Williams was the passenger.
Young Eagles Flying Club president Ed Waldorf said the two men flew to the Marathon Airport Thursday to attend a Christmas party for his group.
The National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites) is investigating the cause of the crash.
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Small aircraft crashes into Federal Reserve Bank building in Miami...
Drudge Report ^
Posted on 12/05/2002 6:59 PM PST by SamAdams76
Small Plane Hits Miami Bank, Pilot Dies
Yahoo! News - AP ^ | 12/6/2002 | By CORALIE CARLSON
Posted on 12/05/2002 10:53 PM PST by Bobby777MIAMI (AP) - A small plane crashed into the Federal Reserve (news - web sites) Bank Building during a holiday party on Thursday night, killing the pilot, authorities said. No one inside the building was injured."It appears to be an accident," said Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) spokeswoman Laura Brown in Washington...more
1 posted on 12/06/2002 6:46 AM PST by RonDog
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"...Four Winds Aircraft president Jeff Rahm of New Smyrna Beach said two of the company's employees died in the crash. He says Rick Grannis, who was a salesman and instructor for the firm, was the pilot. Sales manager Garry Williams was the passenger..."O.K., FReepers.WHO ARE THESE GUYS?
Do they have any terrorist connections?
2 posted on 12/06/2002 6:50 AM PST by RonDog
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