A disgruntled man crashed a small plane into a federal building housing U.S. tax offices in Austin, Texas today. Does the federal officials think this was deliberate? Yes they do. The incident renewed fears of domestic terrorism and gaps in security for private aircraft. This crash and the burned out building brought back memories of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington. CNN reported the pilot had set his own house on fire before taking off in the plane and crashing it into the building at about 10 a.m. CST (1600 GMT). The plane, took off from, Georgetown Municipal Airport approximately 30 miles north, and was flying under rules that did not require the pilot to maintain contact with air controllers. He also left a suicide note stating that he had moved here to Austin, TX from CA. He also complained in the note that he ran afoul of U.S. tax laws when he failed to file a return after not earning any income one year, and that he had trouble resolving some undocumented income he had. According to a pilot witness the plane was traveling at full throttle and a high rate of speed at time of impact, but before the plane hit the buildings second floor it apparently hit a Lexus on the frontage road. The driver of the Lexus is OK. Do you think this was deliberate?? I do.
In a separate incident the same day, a United Airlines flight from Denver to San Francisco was diverted to Salt Lake City because of a threatening note found aboard, according to local airport officials. The passengers and luggage were being rechecked while the plane was also examined. Do you think we are still safe flying? Are these things going to happen more and more?
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