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Plane Crashes into Texas Office Building
JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas - A small plane crashed into an office building that houses a Texas office of the U.S. tax agency on Thursday, and officials said they were investigating whether it was an intentional act by the pilot.
Related
The U.S. law enforcement officials said authorities were trying to determine if the pilot intentionally targeted the federal Internal Revenue Service. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing.
Assistant Austin Fire Chief Harry Evans said at least one person was missing and two people were taken to a hospital. Their conditions and identities were not immediately known.
The crash sent workers fleeing as ceilings crumbled, windows shattered and flames shot out of the building.
Thick black and grey smoke was billowing out of the second and third stories of the building as fire crews using ladder trucks and hoses battled the blaze. Dozens of windows were blown out of the hulking black building.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the pilot didn't file a flight plan. He didn't identify the pilot.
In Washington, a federal law enforcement official identified the pilot as Joseph Stack and says investigators are looking at an anti-government message on the Web linked to him.
The Web site outlines problems with the IRS and says violence "is the only answer."
As a precaution, the Colorado-based North American Aerospace Defence Command launched two F-16 aircraft from Houston's Ellington Field, and is conducting an air patrol over the crash area.
Peggy Walker, an IRS revenue officer who works in the building said she was sitting at her desk when the plane crashed.
"It felt like a bomb blew off. The ceiling caved in and windows blew in. We got up and ran," she said.
Matt Farney, 39, who was in the parking lot of a nearby store, said he saw a low-flying small plane near some apartments and the office building just before it crashed.
"I figured he was going to buzz the apartments or he was showing off," Farney said. "It was insane. ... It didn't look like he was out of control or anything."
Sitting at her desk in another building about a half-mile from the crash, Michelle Santibanez said she felt vibrations after the crash. She and her co-workers ran to the windows, where they saw a scene that reminded them of the 2001 terrorist attacks, she said.
"It was the same kind of scenario with window panels falling out and desks falling out and paperwork flying," said Santibanez, an accountant.
Fire crews were inside the building, which is located next door to a building that houses the FBI, and looking for survivors, Evans said.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said an investigator from the board's Dallas office has been dispatched to the scene of the accident to start an investigation.
The IRS Web site said an office of its EP Team Audit Program is located in the building where the plane crashed. The group, known as EPTA, examines employee benefit plans with 2,500 or more participants, according to the Web site.
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Associated Press writers April Castro and Jay Root in Austin and Devlin Barrett, Lolita C. Baldor and Joan Lowy in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas - A small plane crashed into an office building that houses a Texas office of the U.S. tax agency on Thursday, and officials said they were investigating whether it was an intentional act by the pilot.
Related
- Plane Crashes into Austin Office Building
- Small Plane Crashes into Building
- Plane Crashes into Austin Building
Assistant Austin Fire Chief Harry Evans said at least one person was missing and two people were taken to a hospital. Their conditions and identities were not immediately known.
The crash sent workers fleeing as ceilings crumbled, windows shattered and flames shot out of the building.
Thick black and grey smoke was billowing out of the second and third stories of the building as fire crews using ladder trucks and hoses battled the blaze. Dozens of windows were blown out of the hulking black building.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the pilot didn't file a flight plan. He didn't identify the pilot.
In Washington, a federal law enforcement official identified the pilot as Joseph Stack and says investigators are looking at an anti-government message on the Web linked to him.
The Web site outlines problems with the IRS and says violence "is the only answer."
As a precaution, the Colorado-based North American Aerospace Defence Command launched two F-16 aircraft from Houston's Ellington Field, and is conducting an air patrol over the crash area.
Peggy Walker, an IRS revenue officer who works in the building said she was sitting at her desk when the plane crashed.
"It felt like a bomb blew off. The ceiling caved in and windows blew in. We got up and ran," she said.
Matt Farney, 39, who was in the parking lot of a nearby store, said he saw a low-flying small plane near some apartments and the office building just before it crashed.
"I figured he was going to buzz the apartments or he was showing off," Farney said. "It was insane. ... It didn't look like he was out of control or anything."
Sitting at her desk in another building about a half-mile from the crash, Michelle Santibanez said she felt vibrations after the crash. She and her co-workers ran to the windows, where they saw a scene that reminded them of the 2001 terrorist attacks, she said.
"It was the same kind of scenario with window panels falling out and desks falling out and paperwork flying," said Santibanez, an accountant.
Fire crews were inside the building, which is located next door to a building that houses the FBI, and looking for survivors, Evans said.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said an investigator from the board's Dallas office has been dispatched to the scene of the accident to start an investigation.
The IRS Web site said an office of its EP Team Audit Program is located in the building where the plane crashed. The group, known as EPTA, examines employee benefit plans with 2,500 or more participants, according to the Web site.
____
Associated Press writers April Castro and Jay Root in Austin and Devlin Barrett, Lolita C. Baldor and Joan Lowy in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Claire Vincient on
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I worked SandR for the WTC and OKC bombing and no matter how pissed off you are at a government agency ( IRS) , it is no reason to try and kill innocent people. He did this at a time when other businesses were starting work. These people are only doing their jobs. If you are that upset take it to Washington DC and deal with them directly, not the coward way.
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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Press conference just ended. The FBI now has the lead and a criminal and forensic investigation has begun.
FD checking structural stability.
FBI is investigating the remnants of the aircraft pilot's house which is believed to have been set on fire by him.
A total of 13 persons injured and treated at scene. 2 were transported to Trauma Center. One with 2 degree burns covering 20-25% BSA, transferred to Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio. The second patient suffering inhalation injuries.
One federal employee is reported as unaccounted for, the family has been contacted and according to the police chief, the prospect was not good.
The Georgetown Municipal Airport where the aircraft departed had been closed and federal agents searched the grounds. The airport is now back in operation.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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The link was removed?
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Permalink Reply by Michael Meadows on
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Whatever happened to the days of writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper and getting involved? I mean good god if you don't like the way things are going there much better (and more sane) ways of getting your point across than to do this stupid crap.
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Maybe this will work. The post is about 6 pages long.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?section=news/state&id=7285058
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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I hope the gov. learns from this!
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Permalink Reply by domenick "DEGO" digiovannangelo on
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my hats off to the austin fire department for the way they handled the plane crash and fire in the building afterward.their professionalism and expedience should be commended.
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Another positive note.
I think it needs to be noted the employees did an excellent job of getting people out of the building in a safe and timely manner. There were a few which were rescued by a glass installer who just happened to be on-site and used his ladders before the fire department arrived.
Evacuation plans were followed and supervisors logged everyone coming out to account for their employees. Proof that "fire drills" can and do work.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Brierton on
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I can certainly understand the frustration with the IRS but doing what he did is extreme. There are many of us out there who are not too happy with the IRS let alone the federal government but to take it out on the people some of which had no influence in the situation does not make it right.
Will anybody listen, probably not. The guy will be deemed a "crackpot" and eventually the case will be forgotten and we will all move on with our lives.
To those who provided some semblence of trying to keep things calm, cool and collected my hats off to you.
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Permalink Reply by Blake Sexton on
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The gov s not going to learn anything from this i understand the guys frustration and hate it for his family which nobody on here has mentioned. Sadly but true this is the world we live in where money is the root of all evil. How many people on this forum have lost there pension after 30 years of putting your hard earned money into it for some crooked politicion to squander it away. This has happened in the city where i am employed in. Over 150 paid FireFighters have just lost there pension after years of protecting the people when its time to repay them well sorry we spent all of your money . What can they do really what can they do can anyone here tell me what can those brothers and sisters do since so many of us are so quick to cast the first stone and judge what this guy did what can these fellow FireFighters do to get there money. Most of them are to old and sick from being smoke eaters that they cant go to work. I might come off as sounding pissed, good cause i am i run calls on these guys and galls and it brings tears to my eyes to see what is happening to this country that so many have fought and died to make sure were all free.
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