Seeking Answers In High-Rise Crash

Two People, Including Yankee Pitcher Cory Lidle, Killed When Plane Slams Into NYC Building

(CBS/AP)  Investigators sifted through debris inside a luxury high-rise apartment Thursday for clues to why a small airplane carrying New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle slammed into the building, killing the pitcher and a flight instructor.

National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman said investigators found debris scattered everywhere.

Aircraft parts and headsets were on the ground. The propeller broke apart from the engine, which landed on the floor of an apartment. The bodies fell to the street. On Thursday, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly identified the flight instructor as Tyler Stanger of Walnut, Calif.

Residents were allowed back into their apartments except for the 39th through 41st floors, where rooms were gutted by the fire and a six-story scorch mark marred the red brick.

"There was significant fire damage, water damage from the efforts of the emergency responders. The smell of smoke was everywhere," Hersman told Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen

Lidle talked often of his love of flying, describing it his escape from the stress of professional baseball and a way to see the world in a different light.

"No matter what's going on in your life, when you get up in that plane, everything's gone," Lidle told an interviewer with Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia while flying his plane in April.

The small plane took off on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon at a suburban New Jersey airport, headed for New York City and took a route familiar to millions of tourists over the years: down the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty, on to the East River and then – tragedy.

"I saw this big red ball of flames shooting out of the window, out onto the ground and everybody is running," said Marla Kaufman.

Kauffman was one of the hundreds of witnesses, CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts reports. She had a flashback – New York City five years ago.

"You think terrorists, 9/11, right away, it was scary," she said.

While officials are certain this was an accident, investigators may have a hard time explaining how the crash happened, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

Even after 9/11, the FAA permitted small planes and helicopters to fly along the Hudson and East rivers in New York as long as pilots remained at or below 800 feet. The pilots do not need to stay in touch with air traffic controllers. The pilots are responsible for judging the weather and watching out for other aircraft, tall towers and buildings.

Investigators studying the radar data suspect the plane was trying to turn around to avoid La Guardia airport. That might be hard to confirm since the aircraft had no black boxes.

Ironically, the plane was equipped with a parachute, meant to ease it to the ground in case of engine failure. There has been no suggestion, however, that the chute came into play in this case.

The plane slammed into apartments that were 30 and 31 stories above the street, though the floors are numbered at 40 and 41. The building is about 40 stories high.

Firefighters put out the raging fire in less than an hour. At least 21 people were taken to hospitals, most of them firefighters. Their conditions were not disclosed.

Dr. Parviz Benhuri said his wife, Ilana, was home when the plane hit their window, breaking the glass and spewing flames.

"She told me she saw the window coming out and she ran. She's in shock. She's lucky she made it. It's a miracle," he told The New York Times.

Lidle's passport was found on the street, according to a federal official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It was not clear who was at the controls.

Hersman said the FAA was reviewing aircraft-control tapes at the NTSB's request, and so far had no indication of a mayday call.

The Cirrus SR20 was built in 2002 and purchased earlier this year, she said. It was registered to Lidle.

NTSB records indicate 12 accidents involving the Cirrus SR20, first flown as a prototype in 1995. In two accidents this year, pilots reported engines losing power.

Lidle had repeatedly assured reporters in recent weeks that flying was safe and that the Yankees — who were traumatized in 1979 when catcher Thurman Munson was killed in the crash of a plane he was piloting — had no reason to worry.

His teammates were stunned at the crash. Jason Giambi, who played high school baseball with Lidle and knew his family, said in a statement: "We were excited to be reunited in New York this year and I am just devastated to hear this news."

On Sunday, the day after the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs, Lidle cleaned out his locker at Yankee Stadium and said he planned to fly to California, making a few stops. Lidle had reserved a room for Wednesday night at the historic Union Station hotel in Nashville, Tenn., hotel spokeswoman Melanie Fly said.

Family and friends converged on Lidle's home in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendora, Calif.

Lidle began his career in 1997 with the Mets and also pitched for Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Oakland, Toronto and Cincinnati.

Stanger, the flight instructor, operated a flight school in La Verne, Calif., and lived nearby with his wife and young child.

The military scrambled fighter jets over New York and other major cities immediately after the crash. Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of U.S. Northern Command, told The Associated Press military officials knew it likely wasn't a terrorist act "about a half an hour after it happened."

[agnim]

Hey, Boston1954, you a Yankee fan? That would be a first. LOL

A Red Sox wouldn't commit suicide because those Boston *** so enjoy losing.

However, a proud Yankee would commit suicide, especially after that disgraceful mauling by the terrible Tigers.

[boston1954]

Agnim.........That was truly disgusting.
Think about what you just said the next time you lose someone close to you.

[intn1]

I think it was all a big unfortunate accident. It isn't the president's fault. It isn't republicans' faults, it isn't democrats' fault. Everyone is quick to blame when something bad happens, but sometimes, bad things happen. Maybe the next time I stub my toe, I'll blame Bush, or some random political figure. I think everyone should be grateful that nobody was more seriously injured and that it wasn't terrorrism. The president and the mayor of NYC and the FAA have seen what happened, I'm sure proper measures will be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again. Unfortunatley, if everyone took preventative measures ALL THE TIME, everbody in America would be banned to their houses and there would be no computers or planes or any technology. This was just one of those freak accidents that happens. I wish peace to the families of Corey Lidle and the other guy who was in the plane.

[agnim]

For all those who foolishly believed and reported that T.O. attempted suicide, now this is how suicide is done by a top athlete who could not live with the trashing that the Tigers delivered to the hapless Yankees.

[agnim]

Suicide!
The Yankees got mauled by the Tigers.
The only surprise is that more Yankees didn't take the plunge. LOL

[bunnyday-2009]

Boy am I getting tired of celebrity pilots who can afford more plane than they can handle and don't have the time to learn. Why practice over Manhattan? VFR requires that the visibility be three miles or more. The visibility was too low for VFR so who was letting this guy play?

[boston1954]

I believe that Manhattan should be a no-fly zone for anything but helicoptors taking someone to a hospital. Why in the world is a person who has had a pilot's license for only one year allowed to buzz around the Statue of Liberty and other sites if his flying experience is this brief???

Note to MrLib-- The president was not flying that plane.

Note to fedora1958 -- The democrats were not flying that plane either.

[blahblahbla5]

As far as I can tell it has been 5 years since something like this last happened, a teen age student in florida who hit a building in a small plane. And now, 28 days from the election we have a ~plane~ hit a ~highrise~ just miles from the towers. With a sports star on board so it is guarenteed to be all over the news. In the midst of a Republican sinking ship we get a flash of terror that dominates two or more news cycles.

It makes me sick to think that anybody could sabotage a plane, but in this era where we brag about illegal torture, illegal searches, illegal detainment, unconstitutional 'unitary executive', caged 'free speech zones', how can one help but wonder what other crimes are not out of the question?

[theos5]

I Think their were Least 2 to 4 Deads. I am SAD for the Family.

[mrlib]

This wont happen when the democrats take over congress. Its Bush's fault and he knows it!

[nothappyatall]

"Even after 9/11, the FAA permitted small planes and helicopters to fly along the Hudson and East rivers in New York as long as pilots remained at or below 800 feet."

THAT is sheer stupidity, especially after 9/11, and THIS is how "well protected" we really are from attacks thanks to the BUSH regime and "homeland SeCUriTY". BAN all planes from the city vicinity- especially these "sightseeing" planes- they are the perfect loophole for another attack- loading up a small plane with explosives and radioactive dust or material.

"Lidle's passport was found on the street, according to a federal official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity."

"A federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said that authorities had a report that the plane sent a distress call to the Federal Aviation Administration before the crash."

What IS IT with these ANONYMOUS sources??? you're a public employee and going to put out a public statement to the media put an IDENTITY to it! stop using these anonymous comments.

[fedora1958]

I blame the Democrats.

[irkazi]

It is a sad end of Mr Lidle!!However, what needs to be investigated is how such a safe plane met with such a terrible accident.

[thomderr]

One thing is for sure, the late Mr. Lidles' comments are the extreme form of foreshadowing.
I believe that they don't show suicide, as Agnim states, but the confidence a good pitcher needs.
May God keep him and his family!

[lupolea]

I was Shocked when I heard the News Because I'm a yankees fan and it must be hard for them now after their loss of a player

[adian1-2009]

one simple comment: katie couric has shown that she is as good if not better than the best anchorperson around. Keep up such a good job, katie.

[vegaslife1]

This makes me very sad and a little worried. My prayers are with the residents in the building and the families of those who have died.