Small plane flown into building - Austin TX

[armedandsafe]

Texas Small Plane Crash Might Be Intentional Act, Officials Say
Thursday , February 18, 2010

Officials are investigating whether the Austin, Texas, plane crash was an intentional act, an NTSB official told Fox News.

An NTSB spokesman, however, told FoxNews.com that "we can't confirm any of that."

Authorities said they have identified the pilot as Joseph Andrew Stack.

A small single-engine plane crashed into a seven-story office building in Austin around 10 a.m. local time Thursday.

The FAA said a Piper Cherokee took off from an airport in Georgetown, Texas, at 9:40 a.m. and crashed into the building in Austin shortly thereafter. Officials are investigating whether Stack owned the plane or he stole the plane.

SLIDESHOW: Small Plane Crashes Into Austin Office Building

Stuart Newberg was in the area right before the plane crashed. He said the plane was flying low and fast, according to The Statesman.com.

“It was flying low and fast and I did a double take," Newberg said, according to the Web site.

"I thought it was a play remote control plane. Then I saw the smoke."

He told the paper he thought the plane seemed “very controlled.”

Harry Evans, an assistant chief with the Austin Fire Department, said one person from the building was unaccounted for. He said two have been taken to a hospital.

"There may be other injuries, we are unsure at this time," Evans said during a news conference Thursday.

An Internal Revenue Service office is located inside the building.

IRS Agent William Winnie said he was on the third floor of the building when he saw a light-colored, single engine plane coming towards the building, TheStatesman.com reported.

“It looked like it was coming right in my window,” Winnie said, according to the Web sit.

Winnie said the plane veered down and smashed into the lower floors. “I didn’t lose my footing, but it was enough to knock people who were sitting to the floor.”

The Austin American-Statesman newspaper reported several "walking wounded" at the scene. Paramedics have set up a triage center at the scene.

Heavy smoke could be seen coming from the building at 9420 Research Boulevard. Several local witnesses on Twitter reported seeing flames coming out of the building and lots of broken glass.

Dozens of fire trucks were on scene and the building was evacuated.

Early reports that the building housed the FBI field office in Austin later turned out not to be true. An FBI spokesman told Fox News that the FBI office in Austin is near where the plane crashed, but not in the same building. There are some federal offices in the building, though authorities couldn't identify which ones.

The NTSB is sending staff out of Dallas and DC to the scene.

Click here for more from MyFoxAustin.com.

NewsCore contributed to this report.

Early reports stated that the man set fire to his house before going to the airport to get the plane.

Pops

[Silencer]

I just woke up an hour ago. I had a night mare about small Cessna planes crashing to the ground (I live near Upland Airport). How eerie.

Whatever happened to getting rid of the IRS? Why did that political topic stop? It's still a great idea.

[wpage]

This must be why the IRS was buying those .50 cals

[hogger129]

Originally Posted by Silencer

I just woke up an hour ago. I had a night mare about small Cessna planes crashing to the ground (I live near Upland Airport). How eerie.

Whatever happened to getting rid of the IRS? Why did that political topic stop? It's still a great idea.

I agree. Up until 1913 it was unconstitutional anyway. I feel tariffs are a better system.

[hogger129]

Originally Posted by wpage

This must be why the IRS was buying those .50 cals

I actually read somewhere that .50 BMG rifles aren't even effective against stuff like that. It said .50 BMG is for penetration. You'd have an easier time using a .308 on a target like that.

[JLA]

I thot they were buying 20mm vulcans.

The nutcase set fire to his house with his wife and daughter trapped inside, then left a suicide note and flew a small aircraft into the IRS building. Now, all of the waste water treatment plants all across texas are on lockdown, and tomorrow will have us on restricted escorted use. I never thought some whackjob crashing his airplane into the IRS HQ would have effected the sewer business. but here you have it Im gonna be out all day tomorrow...

[Marlin T]

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=74923

[muddober]

Originally Posted by hogger129

I agree. Up until 1913 it was unconstitutional anyway. I feel tariffs are a better system.

What a silly idea you have hogger. Think about it, then there would no Wal-Mart and ma and pa stores would flourish and be everywhere, There would be more jobs because we would still have an industrial base. Politicians could not be bought by offshore special interest to keep tariffs low or non existent because they would have to use those tariffs and import duties to run their wasteful programs instead of using the IRS like they do now to steal from us citizens with the threat of jail if we don't comply. Where did you come up with such a silly notion hogger? Hmm, perhaps you have been reading the US Constitution.

Ron

[Big ugly]

Originally Posted by muddober

What a silly idea you have hogger. Think about it, then there would no Wal-Mart and ma and pa stores would flourish and be everywhere, There would be more jobs because we would still have an industrial base. Politicians could not be bought by offshore special interest to keep tariffs low or non existent because they would have to use those tariffs and import duties to run their wasteful programs instead of using the IRS like they do now to steal from us citizens with the threat of jail if we don't comply. Where did you come up with such a silly notion hogger? Hmm, perhaps you have been reading the US Constitution.

Ron

Unfortunately the FRB and the IRS will not give up their power especially for the good of the people, economy, or country. We are too far gone now. Great idea, it would make life a whole lot simpler but it wont happen though.

[vytoland]

just another untethered nut who had a bad day. if you want to take yourself out........do it. but DO NOT take anyone or anything else with you. HINT: it aint necessary and they dont want to go. duh.

[hogger129]

Originally Posted by muddober

What a silly idea you have hogger. Think about it, then there would no Wal-Mart and ma and pa stores would flourish and be everywhere, There would be more jobs because we would still have an industrial base. Politicians could not be bought by offshore special interest to keep tariffs low or non existent because they would have to use those tariffs and import duties to run their wasteful programs instead of using the IRS like they do now to steal from us citizens with the threat of jail if we don't comply. Where did you come up with such a silly notion hogger? Hmm, perhaps you have been reading the US Constitution.

Ron

I assume you're being sarcastic, but I read a book about the libertarian party and this was one of the "changes" they wanted to see in America. I researched it and it actually isn't a bad idea to get rid of the IRS and have tariffs instead.

Then again, how could one have faith in the libertarians if they can't have faith in the democrats or republicans? What says that ANY party won't just tell you what you want to hear and then change their mind once they gain power? I guess it's worth a try.

People saying that voting for a third party only divides the republican vote is exactly why the libertarians can't win and why the American people keep getting screwed. I personally think that if Ron Paul had won in 2008, we would be living in a very different, and much more well off USA than we currently live in.

I would consider myself a conservative, so I would NEVER vote democrat so long as I live. But GWB sort of gave me a bad impression of the republican party. The USA Patriot Act is unconstitutional as it gets. I mean anyone who wouldn't call it a breech of the fourth amendment probably has an IQ of 5.

What I want is someone who will do what the Constitution says to do, not what whoever is running the country feels is best for us. I am a man and I know what's best for me. They forget that the Constitution is not a limit on peoples' powers, it's a limit on the powers of the government.

Why do people just say they won't vote for a third party and that they'd rather just vote republican and get more of the same "battered voter" syndrome? The libertarians ARE conservatives. Maybe even more conservative than the republicans. The reason they never win is because nobody gives them a chance.

I would just like to ask WHY people just vote republican and not for a third party like the libertarians? The democrats and republicans are almost the same crap in a different package. The libertarians are hardcore 2A supporters too.