Cory Lidle died in a plane crash on 72 st. and York, he flew into a building and crashed on the 42nd fl. Cory Lidle and his instructer died along with a least two others who were eitheir on the ground or in the building. The plane was believed to have crashed when the right wing dipped. This plane was on a touring trip around the statue of liberty and heading back to the New Jersey base. He leaves behind a wife and six year old child.
Bloomberg
Plane With Yankees' Lidle on Board Crashes in NYC (Update2)
By Chris Dolmetsch and Peter Young
Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- A small plane piloted by New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle crashed into a 50-story apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, exploding in a fireball that killed him and another person.
``This is a terrible shock,'' Yankees Manager Joe Torre said in a statement. ``He was a good teammate and a great competitor. My heart goes out to his family.''
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said a flight instructor and student were aboard the single-engine plane for a sightseeing trip. He declined to identify the dead until family members were notified. Lidle is married with a son. MLB.com, which is owned by Major League Baseball, reported that Lidle was the pilot and had been killed.
The plane slammed into an upper floor of the high-rise at East 72nd Street near York Avenue about 2:42 p.m. local time, the New York Fire Department said. Debris fell to the street and flames shot from windows of the building.
``The place just lit up,'' said Patti Charles, a housekeeper on the 32nd floor. ``It shook the building.''
The Federal Aviation Administration said on its Web site that Lidle had an ownership application pending for the plane, a Cirrus SR20 registered in Lakeland, Florida.
No Terrorism
The FBI said there were no indications of terrorism. ``The president was informed shortly after it happened,'' White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto said.
``There is nothing to suggest that anything even remotely like terrorism was involved,'' Bloomberg said. He is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it sent fighter jets over ``numerous'' U.S. cities.
``While every indication is that this is an accident, we see this as a prudent measure at this time,'' said Mike Perini, a NORAD spokesman.
The mayor said the plane left Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, circled the Statue of Liberty, then flew north along the East River.
The pilot had been flying in a corridor over the river, FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere said. She said the pilot wasn't required to be in touch with FAA air-traffic controllers. Spokeswoman Laura Brown said planes flying over the East River corridor are required by the FAA to fly below 1,100 feet.
Yankees' Munson
Lidle, who earned his pilot's license during the offseason, said in an August interview he would rather fly himself than pay for a private jet like some of his teammates do.
The accident spurred memories of the death of Yankees catcher Thurman Munson in 1979. Munson, who was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1976, died after crashing his Cessna Citation while practicing touch-and-go landings at Akron- Canton Regional Airport in Ohio, according to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Lidle, 34, didn't have any additional certifications on his license, such as a rating for instrument flying or for multi- engine aircraft, according to the FAA Web site. Those ratings require a pilot to log more flying hours beyond the minimum needed for a private pilot's license, as well as specialized instruction.
Lidle bought a four-seat Cirrus SR20 built in 2002 that had logged less than 400 hours in the air, the New York Times reported on Sept. 8. The pitcher kept the plane at Teterboro Airport during the season and planned to fly near his home in West Covina, California, during the offseason, the Times said.
Condolences
``This is a terrible and shocking tragedy that has stunned the entire Yankees organization,'' Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. ``I offer my deep condolences and prayers to his wife, Melanie, and son, Christopher, on their enormous loss.''
In a recorded message, the FAA reported turbulence below 6,000 feet in the New York area. Skies were overcast, there was no fog and clouds were at about 1,800 feet -- higher than the Empire State Building -- with visibility of nine miles, said Bill Goodman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service forecast office in Upton, New York, which covers New York City.
``At least at first glance, weather doesn't appear to be playing a factor in this,'' Goodman said. ``Unless the plane was descending, I don't know how visibility was a factor.''
The NTSB sent two investigators to the scene, spokeswoman Deborah Hersman said in a televised news conference today. The U.S. Coast Guard sent crews to the East River to assist, WCBS-TV said.
Sept. 11 Fears
The incident occurred exactly five years and one month after terrorists flew two planes into New York's World Trade Center, bringing down its landmark twin towers.
Almost 3,000 people were killed when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airliners on Sept. 11, 2001, and crashed them into the trade center, the Pentagon outside Washington and a field in rural Pennsylvania.
The Belaire, a 50-story red brick luxury condominium building with two-bedroom units priced at more than $1 million, was built in 1988, according to the cityrealty.com Web site. The residential tower was modeled after 30 Rockefeller Plaza for a development team headed by William Zeckendorf Jr.
``I didn't know if it was a plane or a helicopter,'' said Alexa Liguori, 23, who lives at 545 East 72nd St., where authorities were using the lobby as a staging area. ``I saw debris flying everywhere and I heard people screaming. It was really, really scary.''
Original Story:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2....
Bloomberg
Plane With Yankees' Lidle on Board Crashes in NYC (Update2)
By Chris Dolmetsch and Peter Young
Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- A small plane piloted by New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle crashed into a 50-story apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, exploding in a fireball that killed him and another person.
``This is a terrible shock,'' Yankees Manager Joe Torre said in a statement. ``He was a good teammate and a great competitor. My heart goes out to his family.''
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said a flight instructor and student were aboard the single-engine plane for a sightseeing trip. He declined to identify the dead until family members were notified. Lidle is married with a son. MLB.com, which is owned by Major League Baseball, reported that Lidle was the pilot and had been killed.
The plane slammed into an upper floor of the high-rise at East 72nd Street near York Avenue about 2:42 p.m. local time, the New York Fire Department said. Debris fell to the street and flames shot from windows of the building.
``The place just lit up,'' said Patti Charles, a housekeeper on the 32nd floor. ``It shook the building.''
The Federal Aviation Administration said on its Web site that Lidle had an ownership application pending for the plane, a Cirrus SR20 registered in Lakeland, Florida.
No Terrorism
The FBI said there were no indications of terrorism. ``The president was informed shortly after it happened,'' White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto said.
``There is nothing to suggest that anything even remotely like terrorism was involved,'' Bloomberg said. He is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it sent fighter jets over ``numerous'' U.S. cities.
``While every indication is that this is an accident, we see this as a prudent measure at this time,'' said Mike Perini, a NORAD spokesman.
The mayor said the plane left Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, circled the Statue of Liberty, then flew north along the East River.
The pilot had been flying in a corridor over the river, FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere said. She said the pilot wasn't required to be in touch with FAA air-traffic controllers. Spokeswoman Laura Brown said planes flying over the East River corridor are required by the FAA to fly below 1,100 feet.
Yankees' Munson
Lidle, who earned his pilot's license during the offseason, said in an August interview he would rather fly himself than pay for a private jet like some of his teammates do.
The accident spurred memories of the death of Yankees catcher Thurman Munson in 1979. Munson, who was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1976, died after crashing his Cessna Citation while practicing touch-and-go landings at Akron- Canton Regional Airport in Ohio, according to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Lidle, 34, didn't have any additional certifications on his license, such as a rating for instrument flying or for multi- engine aircraft, according to the FAA Web site. Those ratings require a pilot to log more flying hours beyond the minimum needed for a private pilot's license, as well as specialized instruction.
Lidle bought a four-seat Cirrus SR20 built in 2002 that had logged less than 400 hours in the air, the New York Times reported on Sept. 8. The pitcher kept the plane at Teterboro Airport during the season and planned to fly near his home in West Covina, California, during the offseason, the Times said.
Condolences
``This is a terrible and shocking tragedy that has stunned the entire Yankees organization,'' Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. ``I offer my deep condolences and prayers to his wife, Melanie, and son, Christopher, on their enormous loss.''
In a recorded message, the FAA reported turbulence below 6,000 feet in the New York area. Skies were overcast, there was no fog and clouds were at about 1,800 feet -- higher than the Empire State Building -- with visibility of nine miles, said Bill Goodman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service forecast office in Upton, New York, which covers New York City.
``At least at first glance, weather doesn't appear to be playing a factor in this,'' Goodman said. ``Unless the plane was descending, I don't know how visibility was a factor.''
The NTSB sent two investigators to the scene, spokeswoman Deborah Hersman said in a televised news conference today. The U.S. Coast Guard sent crews to the East River to assist, WCBS-TV said.
Sept. 11 Fears
The incident occurred exactly five years and one month after terrorists flew two planes into New York's World Trade Center, bringing down its landmark twin towers.
Almost 3,000 people were killed when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airliners on Sept. 11, 2001, and crashed them into the trade center, the Pentagon outside Washington and a field in rural Pennsylvania.
The Belaire, a 50-story red brick luxury condominium building with two-bedroom units priced at more than $1 million, was built in 1988, according to the cityrealty.com Web site. The residential tower was modeled after 30 Rockefeller Plaza for a development team headed by William Zeckendorf Jr.
``I didn't know if it was a plane or a helicopter,'' said Alexa Liguori, 23, who lives at 545 East 72nd St., where authorities were using the lobby as a staging area. ``I saw debris flying everywhere and I heard people screaming. It was really, really scary.''
Original Story:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2....
