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Plane crashes into Bank of America Building in Tampa

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by AroundTheWorld, Jan 5, 2002.

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  1. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    http://news.lycos.com/news/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=311511

    Plane Crashes Into Tampa Skyscraper

    Saturday, January 05, 2002 6:48 p.m. EST

    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A small plane with a student pilot took off without permission Saturday, did not respond to orders to land from a Coast Guard helicopter and then crashed into a skyscraper, authorities said.

    A law enforcement official in Washington, speaking only on condition of anonymity, said the FBI does not believe the crash is related to terrorism but has sent agents to the scene.

    The student left the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport in a Cessna 172 and then crashed into the Bank of America building, Coast Guard Lt. Lance Isakson said. It hit near the 20th floor of the 40-story building.

    Air traffic controllers notified the Coast Guard helicopter that the plane had taken off without clearance, said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Charlotte Pittman.

    The helicopter intercepted the plane and attempted to give the pilot visual signals to land at a small airport, but the plane did not respond, Pittman said.

    She said the plane was only a few yards from the helicopter when it was signaled to land. Pittman said she has no doubt the pilot understood what the Coast Guard helicopter was indicating.

    Federal Aviation Authority spokesman Scott Brenneer said the plane was flown by ``a student pilot who did not have permission to fly the aircraft.''

    Tampa Police Department spokesman Joe Durkin said there was no immediate word on injuries.

    Tampa Police and fire crews were on the scene of the crash, which occurred shortly after 5 p.m.

    Hijacked passenger planes were used to collapse the World Trade Center towers and attack the Pentagon in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A fourth hijacked plane crashed in western Pennsylvania.

    Some of the pilots in the hijackings had been trained at Florida flight schools.

    Bank of America, based in Charlotte, N.C., is the third-largest U.S. bank. It employs about 143,000 people and serves about 30 million households in 20 states.

    Bank officials did not immediately return calls for comment Saturday.
     
    #1 AroundTheWorld, Jan 5, 2002
  2. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    I really hope that this does not mean even more people are going to try to imitate what happened on Sept. 11. Remember, there were also some idiots who were planning to imitate the Littleton massacre.
     
    #2 AroundTheWorld, Jan 5, 2002
  3. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    [​IMG]
     
    #3 AroundTheWorld, Jan 5, 2002
  4. RichRocket

    RichRocket Member

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    ... a 15 YO boy.
     
    #4 RichRocket, Jan 5, 2002
  5. s land balla

    s land balla Contributing Member

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    don't blame the muslims again...
     
    #5 s land balla, Jan 5, 2002
  6. TheFreak

    TheFreak Contributing Member

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    Dude, that was stupid. Nobody's blaming muslims. At least nobody with half a brain.
     
    #6 TheFreak, Jan 5, 2002
  7. Zac D

    Zac D Contributing Member

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    Which eliminates what, maybe 7% of the population? If that? :D
     
    #7 Zac D, Jan 5, 2002
  8. Space Ghost

    Space Ghost Contributing Member

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    Maybe not terrorist, but suicide with a bang?

    He had been taking classes for 2 years...so no doubt he knew what he was doing. Maybe the controls were stuck.
     
    #8 Space Ghost, Jan 5, 2002
  9. ROXRAN

    ROXRAN Contributing Member

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    I blame people who want to save money.
     
    #9 ROXRAN, Jan 5, 2002
  10. RocketKid

    RocketKid Member

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    I blame the builders of that building for not making the windows stronger.
     
    #10 RocketKid, Jan 5, 2002
  11. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    I blame myself.
     
    #11 Jeff, Jan 5, 2002
  12. Vengeance

    Vengeance Contributing Member

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    I blame the liberal media . . .
     
    #12 Vengeance, Jan 6, 2002
  13. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    If we blame anyone, then the terrorists have won.
     
    #13 heypartner, Jan 6, 2002
  14. Vengeance

    Vengeance Contributing Member

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    I think that's a VERY good possibility -- seeing as how he was 15, this would be a way to certainly go out with a bang.
     
    #14 Vengeance, Jan 6, 2002
  15. Timing

    Timing Member

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    Why wasn't this plane shot down? Geez... what kind of damage could be done with a Cessna full of explosives?
     
    #15 Timing, Jan 6, 2002
  16. treeman

    treeman Member

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    Was it really a 15-year old kid? If so, I'd blame the parents. Kid can't drive, but you let him fly a plane? Parents.
     
    #16 treeman, Jan 6, 2002
  17. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    damn US foreign policy strikes again!!!
     
    #17 MadMax, Jan 6, 2002
  18. treeman

    treeman Member

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    If I was in charge, it would've been. A Cessna loaded with explosives could potentially do alot more than ruin a single office in a large office building... ;)

    Our policy should be to immediately shoot down any aircraft that fails to answer hails - and especially one that fails to respond to visual communication. Particularly if it is heading towards a civilian metropolis.
     
    #18 treeman, Jan 6, 2002
  19. across110thstreet

    across110thstreet Contributing Member

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    a Coast GUard helicopter and 2 NORAD F-15's were scrambled, they just didnt get there on time.

    also, there were no explosives on board, unless you consider the fuel as an "explosive"
     
    #19 across110thstreet, Jan 6, 2002
  20. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    Most kids under 18 are allowed to take flying lessons and fly with a trained, registered co-pilot. Unlike cars where only one person has the wheel, if there is trouble in a plane, the co-pilot can simply flip a switch and take over.

    This kid was supposed to simply check the instruments while the flight instructor was doing a final check outside. When he turned around, the kid was gone.
     
    #20 Jeff, Jan 6, 2002
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