Man Flies Small Plane Into Government Offices

[Guest SUNTZU]

News 8 Austin | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES

Two people have been transported to the hospital after a small plane crash into a building in the 9400 block of Research Blvd. across from Arbor Walk.

Austin fire officials said crews had rescued multiple people, and one person is still unaccounted for. So far, there have been no reports of any deaths.

Crews on the scene reported still seeing debris fly off the building an hour after the crash. The fire was also still burning on the inside of the building.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane, a Cirrus SR 22, departed from Georgetown airport north Austin at about 9:40 a.m.

The crash occurred around 10 a.m. and ignited a two-alarm fire. TXDoT cameras in the area show fire and smoke coming from the building.

“At this time we have no reason to believe there is a nexus to criminal or terrorist activity,†said DHS spokesperson Matt Chandler. “We are in the process of coordinating with state officials and other federal partners to gather more information and at this time. We will defer additional questions to local officials and the FAA.â€

Crews in the field say the plane hit a Lexus before crashing into the building. No word on the driver’s injuries.

Electricity is out in the immediate area, and crews closed down streets until the scene is under control, police say.

Eye witness Thad Lindsey said he saw a 30-foot fireball and a cloud of smoke. “Then it started raining debris. All of the windows were blown out. I couldn’t see any more,†he said.

Fire officials confirm there was a house fire nearby just before the plane crashed. But no one is saying if the fire is related to the crash.

The St. Edwards University Professional Education Center is housed nearby the crash, according to Mischelle Diaz, information officer at St. Edwards University. They were evacuated from their building.

Initially it was reported the Austin Resident Agency Office of the FBI was housed in the building. However, the FBI’s offices are adjacent to the building.

“It hit the building next door. All FBI personnel are safe. We are helping local police departments and fire to determine what happened. Nothing indicates we were targeted,†said Erik Vasys with FBI in San Antonio.

Details are still coming in. Stay with News8Austin.com for more on this devolving story.

[Defender]

Just saw an update that said the pilot set his home afire just prior to taking off...

[tennessee01tacoma]

The building houses IRS offices and almost 200 IRS employees work there.

[Guest jackdm3]

Gotta wonder what his tax status was. Obviously earned enough for flight lessons and maybe a plane.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Well, they're making him out to be a crackpot already, or at least that's what's being reported. Something about a manifesto he posted online.http://embeddedart.com/

Edited February 18, 2010 by 6.8 AR

[Guest jackdm3]

Kommunist?

[E4 No More]

Ok, for the sake of public safety we need to outlaw planes, because only criminals with homicidal intent own planes, and this proves it!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

This crap is going to get out of hand. I don't agree with some things he said at all, but he had some valid points. He also did what he said he was going to do. I fear the day is coming that this will be commonplace.

[Guest jackdm3]

Do you think that if it hit a Corolla instead of a Lexus, the model would have been brought up?

[Guest 2HOW]

another pissed off citizen. At least he didnt use a gun. seems he was fed up with obama and bailouts and taxes. same as most people.

[Westwindmike]

We need to make all these little airplanes file a flight plan. That would have prevented this.

[MCSCOTT]

I fear the day is coming that this will be commonplace.

I feel the same way.

Luckily for most everyone this guy was obviously not too good at anything. The way the news was just talking he burned his house down with his wife and daughter inside (in an attempt to take them with him kinda), but they made it out ok. They were also just talking like the injuries from the people in the building weren't anything major either when he obviously planned on taking out lots of people. The only thing he managed to do was damage that Lexus. Well, that and he did in fact kill himself and damage the government building as well.

[MacGyver]

SR22 is an awfully nice plane to fly into a building.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

They really need to be finding all those stolen guns.

[Guest jackdm3]

IRS probably wanted it as payment.

[G27]

We need to make all these little airplanes file a flight plan. That would have prevented this.

Hahaha, nicely done there.

[Volzfan]

They should have made all IRS offices "No Fly Zones".

[Guest jackdm3]

SWJewellTN, you have a brother.

From the pages of Marketwatch:

"I wonder when they will come out with new laws trying to outlaw small planes, like they do eveytime some nut goes on the rampage with a gun?

Planes don't kill people, people kill people! What a joke, eh?"

[E4 No More]

SWJewellTN, you have a brother.

From the pages of Marketwatch:

"I wonder when they will come out with new laws trying to outlaw small planes, like they do eveytime some nut goes on the rampage with a gun?

Planes don't kill people, people kill people! What a joke, eh?"

[Guest jimdigriz]

"I wonder when they will come out with new laws trying to outlaw small planes, like they do eveytime some nut goes on the rampage with a gun?

If we can get one plane off the streets, it will have been worth it.

[Westwindmike]

Now saying it was a Piper, not a SR22.

[Mike.357]

Now saying it was a Piper, not a SR22.

would that be equivilant to saying something like "the shooter had a Hi Point not a Colt"?

[Ghooge2008]

we need to have an annonymous plane buyback. get a couple of those dangerous planes off the streets!

[KahrMan]

we need to have an annonymous plane buyback. get a couple of those dangerous planes off the streets!

[NuTcAsE]

we need to have an annonymous plane buyback. get a couple of those dangerous planes off the streets!

For the love of everything righteous & holy, do it for the children!!!!!