Small Plane Hits 2 Florida Homes

[Ghost in the Machine]

Small Plane Hits 2 Florida Homes
Published: 7/10/07, 10:28 AM EDT

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - A small plane trying to make an emergency landing crashed into a suburban Orlando neighborhood Tuesday morning, starting two house fires and injuring at least three people, one of them a boy who was severely burned, authorities said.

Both homes were largely gutted by the flames, and smoke could be seen rising from the neighborhood where the plane went down around 8:40 a.m.

Matt Minnetta, a fire investigator with Sanford Fire Department, said at least three people were injured, including a boy about 10 years old who had burns over 80 to 90 percent of his body. Minnetta said officials believe the pilot was the only person aboard the plane.

The twin engine Cessna 310 was registered to Competitor Liaison Bureau Inc. of Daytona Beach, said Kathleen Bergen with the Federal Aviation Administration.

http://home.bellsouth.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7406&eeid=5296244&_sitecat=1522&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=0&ck=&ch=ne&rg=blsadstrgt&_lid=332&_lnm=tg+ne+topnews&ck=&cntp=beta

[5X]

1. Quick...run for your lives!!!!!!11111!!!!!!!1

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. I'm In The Flight Path Of Planes That Land There...

I don't think it's funny...

[5X]

3. And it is too late to duck

Why is this more important than any car wreck?

[nosillies]

5. Is a car wreck that claims multiple lives also funny?

[5X]

7. It is not funny, also not of national importance.

I wouldn't be posting about car wrecks or
plane crashes in GD, if it turns out to be someone
on board of importance or recognition, that would be
different.

[nosillies]

8. For many people, the France family is of national importance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_France%2C_Jr.

The death of Bill Jr. in June made not only national news, but also international news.

[Ghost in the Machine]

11. Unfortunately (for you), *you* don't decide what I post, or where I post it.

If *you* wouldn't post it in GD, which btw means General Discussion, that's entirely up to you. What do *you* consider 'General Discussion', since this thread was really intended to be all about *you* and what *you* want in the first place?

If *you* don't like it, why did *you* open the thread?

[5X]

12. You are right, so sorry, will never happen again.

[wicket]

18. heh

:thumbsup:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. I Guess Because Planes Crashing In Residential Neighborhoods Are A Rarer Occurence

Difference between a man bites dog story and a dog bites man story....

Your logic is flawed.

[Clark2008]

19. Well, it's more important than Par-Lind-itney.

[nosillies]

4. What a tragedy for the France family of Daytona

One of those on the plane was Dr. Bruce Kennedy, Lisa France's husband. Losing two family members in a month is no laughing matter.

[MiniMe]

9. Terra Terra Terra!! Quick, get the duct tape and plastic sheeting

And......OK, what do you do with that damn stuff.

[Ron Green]

10. Florida again. I'm keepin' track.

[IEatskMeKucinich]

13. It was a NASCAR plane

Sad for the victims.

[wicket]

20. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[madfloridian]

14. An injured person was taken miles away to a hosptial in Lakeland. Orlando much bigger city.

When I heard that I was surprised. There was no explanation. Sounded odd. No burn center in Lakeland that is not in Orlando. Just wondered why.

[nosillies]

15. Maybe the news source was confused. The crashed plane was heading to Lakeland.

The critically injured were taken to ORMC. The lesser injured, including an off-duty Lake Mary firefighter, were taken to a local hospital in Sanford.

The critically burned 10-year-old is supposed to be flown to Cincinnati sometime today.

I still don't think they have a good grip on how many people are dead, missing or injured.

[madfloridian]

16. Thanks..

That could be. Makes more sense that way.

Lakeland has Sun and Fun and other aerial shows, and they fly all over the residential sections. There have been accidents with small planes, and there will be more because there is no regulation. They fly in circles over the city and residential areas.

Need to regulate where they show their planes off.

[wicket]

17. Sad

Lesa France Kennedy just lost her father, and now her husband dies in this crash. Prayers for all.

[nosillies]

21. They're now realeasing names and DOBs for the deceased

A mom and her six month old baby boy, plus a four year old little girl are among the dead. What a tragedy.

[wicket]

22. Were they on the plane or in the houses?

Not that it matters, so sad either way :( :cry:

[nosillies]

24. Only two adults on the plane

They died, along with the one adult and two children on the ground. Two other adults, one child, and one firefighter are also injured.

[wicket]

26. Oh god, how horrible

:cry: Hope they didn't even know what hit them. :(

[karlrschneider]

23. One report said Kennedy was "practicing for his pilot license"

I have no idea if that's accurate, but a C310 is a really bad plane to start out with.
Edit: I should have said bad -choice-. It's a great airplane but NOT for beginners.

[malaise]

25. I saw this earlier this morning and wondered about

the families who left their homes for work and then heard they'd lost everything. One of the families even lost their young child. I can't imagine this happening to us - I'd be in total and complete shock.

Yes this happens to people from time to time in a variety of ways, but if it happened to us, I'd be devastated.
----------------------------
I'm way behind this story. These people hadn't even left their homes for work. What a tragedy.

http://www.local6.com/news/13654641/detail.html

Add.

[nosillies]

27. Unfortunately for these families, everyone was still home, it seems

Hence the high casualties. It's bizarre to see these burned shells of the houses with untouched cars sitting in the driveways. A firefighter this morning, before anyone knew details, remarked that cars in the driveways was a bad sign.

The news footage did accidentally catch a family member of one of the families arriving on scene and completely losing it. it was horrible to watch. And it's likewise been horrible watching the interviews with neighbors who saw everything. I know one news station has not aired certain interviews as the interviewees description of injuries was too graphic.

These are families and, in fact, an entire neighborhood that will never be the same. It's pitiful and scary that things can happen so unexpectedly.

[malaise]

28. Yes, this was a real neighbourhood tragedy

so completely random and unexpected. They will never forget this horrible day. Very sad indeed.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. It's About Seven Miles From My Home

I'm surprised he didn't try a soft landing in the St. Johns River (Lake Monroe) but I don't know squat about flying...

[karlrschneider]

30. It looks to me like (with very little information) that he forgot Rule One

Fly the plane.

It sounds a little absurd, I suppose but many accidents have occurred because pilots got preoccupied with solving some problem. Another possibility which can never be proven one way or the other is that the smoke he reported prevented him from seeing out enough to find a reasonably safe landing spot.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. I Think The Homes He Crashed Into Were Yards Away From A Large Body Of Water

eom

[karlrschneider]

33. He could have been trying to land in that water and couldn't manage it.

Water is a pretty poor choice for an emergency landing but of course it's better than hitting a house. I've read some reports that he didn't have much experience...a 310 is not a beginner's plane. Another fact (please don't flame for this, I'm just reporting) is that doctors are much more likely to be bad pilots than non-doctors. I don't know why, but I know it's true.

[nosillies]

32. One report did say that someone on board said that smoke was "filling the cockpit."

Again, who knows if the truth will ever be found? NTSB is on the scene now.

[karlrschneider]

34. Probably the cause won't be found. NTSB doesn't spend huge resources on

small plane accidents like they do with airliners. And it would be very difficult in any case since it's pretty much consumed by the fire. Not much left to work with. Smoke in the cabin on a 310 is 99.9% certainty from an electrical short. There are a couple of other -very- unlikely sources involving an air-conditioner malfunction (very few 310s have it) or from an engine fire which he surely would have noticed. For an electrical problem, the first action is of course to shut off the Master Switch. That kills -everything- electrical (but doesn't affect the engines.)

edit: I can't believe I wrote "hugh" in the subject...:eyes: