Plane crashed into building in Tampa

[Dakota]

Well Ken, I won't be rude , but this happened yesterday afternoon. From Reuters:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/2002...ane_dc_12.html

Saturday January 5 11:32 PM ET
Youth Flies Small Plane Into Tampa Building, Dies




TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - A small plane flown by a lone 15-year-old student pilot crashed into an office high-rise in Tampa on Saturday after taking off from a nearby airport without clearance and then ignoring Coast Guard signals to land, officials said.

The pilot of the single-engine Cessna 172 was killed. But nobody else was hurt in an incident that -- with its image of an aircraft lodged high in an office building -- was a grim reminder of the Sept. 11 hijacked aircraft attacks on New York and Washington.

But officials said there was no indication of terrorism.

Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge was in touch with White House staff and President Bush (news - web sites) was briefed on the Tampa crash and two other small plane crashes on Saturday -- outside Los Angeles and Boulder, Colorado, said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

``None of these incidents appear to be related and there's no indication of terrorism,'' he said.

The youth in the Tampa crash, Charles Bishop, was dropped off for a flying lesson by his grandmother at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport, about 20 miles from Tampa, said Pinellas County Sheriff's spokesman, Sgt. Greg Tita.

Bishop had a practice flight scheduled with his instructor on the single-engine four-seater Cessna, but took off alone when the instructor walked away after telling him to do a pre-flight check, Tita said.

The airport notified the Coast Guard, which had a patrol helicopter try to signal the plane to land.

NO WORD ON MOTIVE

Bishop died when the plane crashed into the 28th floor of the Bank of America building, said Tampa Police Dept. spokesman Joe Durkin. Tita said Bishop, a ninth grade honors student at East Lake High School, was from nearby Palm Harbor.

There was no word on the youth's motives for flying off with the plane and it was not yet known whether he deliberately flew it into the building or could not avoid hitting it. He had been learning to fly for some time but was not authorized to fly by himself, officials said.

Bishop's relatives and officials at the flight school were being interviewed on Saturday evening by FBI (news - web sites) agents and other federal officials.

Local officials said the plane flown by Bishop briefly went into the airspace over nearby McDill Airforce Base. The base is home of the U.S. military's Central Command, which is in charge of America's war in Afghanistan (news - web sites) prompted by the Sept. 11 airborne assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (news - web sites) in which some 3,000 people were killed.

The plane flown by Bishop hit shortly after 5 p.m. in clear weather, striking about two thirds of the way up the office tower, which is a landmark on the Tampa skyline.

The crash did not cause a fire, but fire officials sprayed the area with foam to prevent aviation fuel from igniting.

The wings and other parts of the aircraft fell to the ground, and late on Saturday evening the plane's fuselage was still dangling from the building in a stiff breeze as authorities worked to secure it before removing it.

Windows and walls behind could be seen smashed, but police spokesman Durkin said there was no indication of wider structural damage to the building. Streets around the building were cleared by police.

PILOT IGNORED SIGNALS

Lt. Lance Isakson, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said the plane took off without clearance from St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport. A Coast Guard helicopter followed the plane and signaled to the pilot to land at an airport in Tampa but the pilot ignored the signals.

Flight departures from Tampa and nearby St. Petersburg were briefly halted after the incident but arrivals were not interrupted, said Christopher White, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites).

National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites) investigators were being sent to Tampa from the board's Miami office, a spokesman said. The plane was owned by National Aviation Holdings, according to local media.

Tampa Mayor **** Greco, quickly on the scene of the crash, said when he was told a plane had crashed into a building in the city ``my first reaction was not good.''

But ``bad as it is, it is not what I was thinking, thank God,'' the mayor said.

On a Saturday afternoon, few people were in the building, which is occupied by businesses including the bank and law and accounting firms. But a witness who identified himself as Rob told WFLA television that he was working on the 42nd floor at the top of the building at the time, with about 25 colleagues.

He said they had heard a thud but were unaware of what had happened until he saw the police cars and helicopters. He and his colleagues left the building in an orderly evacuation. Then they got to the ground and saw what had happened.

``It brought back some very scary footage,'' the witness said, referring to the images of the Sept. 11 attacks that horrified the nation.

[Mark]

Originally posted by Ken
A small plane crashed into the Bank of America tower in downtown Tampa last night.

A Cessna plane crashed into the 28th floor, killing the pilot.

Apparently a student stole the plane, maybe joy riding...
A coast guard helicopter was following it after it went into restricted airspace over MacDill AFB...

Investigation continues.

ya and baywatch 9 had live coverage for quite sometime yesterday

[KANO]

the threat here is that 3 small planes were stolen, now seems your country are slacking again, this could have been alot worse.

[poptom]

Originally posted by KANO
the threat here is that 3 small planes were stolen...

Only one, I believe.

[KANO]

Originally posted by poptom

Only one, I believe.

you believe wrong sir, read it again.

[Jim]

Originally posted by KANO



you believe wrong sir, read it again.

If three "small planes" crash, as odd as it is, it doesn't mean they were stolen or crashed intentionally...

[KANO]

good point, still ones enough.

[poptom]

Actually, there were four crashes yesterday.

[Jim]

Oh god...

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/2002...ane_crash.html

[Dakota]

Good grief! Actually, I am surprised something like this has taken this long. We live in world of freaks.

[fastspaz]

i wonder what his parents are thinking right now?

[Dakota]

Originally posted by fastspaz
i wonder what his parents are thinking right now?

Well, in most cases like this, the parents refuse to take any responsiblity and will most likely blame it on some video game or some rock and roll CD, and make some big old freaking lawsuit out of it.

I just wonder where his parents have BEEN for the last 15 years...? THAT is the real question that needs to be answered.

[downhill]

Originally posted by SilverDakota


Well, in most cases like this, the parents refuse to take any responsiblity and will most likely blame it on some video game or some rock and roll CD, and make some big old freaking lawsuit out of it.

I just wonder where his parents have BEEN for the last 15 years...? THAT is the real question that needs to be answered.

Hummm.....according to the article that bigjim posted, the kid was a loner without friends.

A lot of teenagers already feel like they are alone, when they are surrounded by friends. I can't imagine what that must feel like when you arn't.

Columbine should teach us something. It isn't always just parents.

I feel for them. My guess is that the parents are heartbroken to loose their son. I know I would be.

[ExarKun]

[Burns Voice] Excellent.. [/Burns Voice]

I was over a UT when that hit setting up my friends LAN when it hit, Im sorry but Im a crash freak, it was truely amazing

[Dakota]

Originally posted by SilverDakota
Good grief! Actually, I am surprised something like this has taken this long. We live in world of freaks.

[Croc]

Originally posted by SilverDakota


Well, in most cases like this, the parents refuse to take any responsiblity and will most likely blame it on some video game or some rock and roll CD, and make some big old freaking lawsuit out of it.
I just wonder where his parents have BEEN for the last 15 years...? THAT is the real question that needs to be answered.

More than likely they have been where most parents usually are when bringing up their children. Trying to do it properly.
This is the age we live in and as testament to this, compare the changes in family relationships over the last 40 years. Used to be that you got your backside booted if you did something wrong and there was respect demanded and given. Even the local policeman would give you one if you stepped out of line.
Now we spare the rod and spoil the child. I do not agree with child bashing, never have, never will but ask those who are a little older and you will get the same answer all the time........... "I got what I deserved".
Don't go laying blame on the parents. That's too easy. At 15, most kids are 10foot tall, bullet proof and starting to rebel in some way. This one overstepped the mark, bigtime.
JMHO

Croc.

[Indy]

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/01/06/tampa.crash/index.html

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- A note written by the 15-year-old boy who crashed a Cessna into a Tampa office building Saturday indicated he supported Osama bin Laden and that the act was deliberate, authorities said Sunday.