June 07, 2003

CESSNA DOWN

A light aircraft has crashed in LA:

At least 10 people were injured, five critically today when a light aircraft crashed into an apartment block in a densely populated Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles, fire officials said.

The Cessna aircraft ploughed into a building in the Hollywood area at around 3.50pm (0845 Saturday AEST), sparking a ferocious fire and spawning panic through the neighbourhood.

Too early for any details on the likely cause of the crash. This Reuters piece says the plane went all the way through the building, from roof to basement.

UPDATE. The aircraft was a Beech Bonanza, not a Cessna. This AP piece has a photograph of the crash site.

Posted by Tim Blair at June 7, 2003 01:06 PM
Comments

Fueling to the speculation here is that the plane crashed in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, which is a heavily Jewish neighborhood. Too early to tell is some nutjob was targeting the Jooooooooooos! (tm) like that Orange County crazy who killed folks at the El Al counter at LAX, but the location makes me wonder...

Posted by: KevinV at June 7, 2003 at 01:14 PM

It's nothing...a tiny plane crashed into a tiny little two-storey building. There's nothing to see here people, move along.

Posted by: jeff at June 7, 2003 at 01:24 PM


This cat must have seriously fucked up. I've held my private pilot's license for 12 years and there's no excuse for dying in an airplane crash while killing other people (well, your passengers are fair game, but beyond them).

Posted by: Andrew at June 7, 2003 at 04:56 PM


Okay folks, show's over. Nothing to see here. Show's...OH MY GOD, A HORRIBLE PLANE CRASH! Hey everybody, get a load of this flaming wreckage! C'mon, crowd around... don't be shy, crowd around.

Posted by: Big Ramifications at June 8, 2003 at 12:57 AM

Andrew, from reports I've read and heard, my speculation is:
Failing engine - heard to sputter, maybe contaminated fuel, fuel selector in "off" position, etc..

Spiraling around - circling, looking for a clear spot to land.

Goes straight down - took finger off the ball and went into a stall-spin.

In other words, a not untypical post-takeoff aviation accident.

Of course, the NTSB will figure it out soon enough.

Posted by: CGeib at June 8, 2003 at 01:03 PM