According to various sources, a 767 went down in the Rockaways section of Queens, NY. Houses are on fire. All NYC airports are closed. This happened "shortly after 9:00 am" according to Newsday.
Local reports of eyewitnesses say an engine came off first, and landed separately from the plane. The plane came in "flat," not nosediving, thus perhaps somewhat under the pilot's control. Plane was zigzagging before it crashed. The A300 can be landed without power, thus stable with both engines gone. The engine that came off could have caused destablization. No evidence of an attack. However, terrorist games often include scenarios of an ground to air attack on planes leaving Kennedy as they pass over the lightly populated areas of Queens (a lot of open water and marshlands). No eyewitness accounts of missile tracks. One witness of the engine falling said he heard no explosion beforehand. Another said the sound of the plane was unusual, more like a jet fighter than an airliner. Jet fighters are on regular patrol around the city and NY airports. As reported, bridges and tunnels closed, except some outbound traffic allowed. Phones here are jammed.
This may be on national but the local ABC station is showing raw footage of the plane and engine crash sites, fairly close up, right by the fallen engine, and within a few yards of the plane. There are relatively large portions of the plane which seems to indicate a slower speed hit. The fire at the engine is out, but the plane and surrounding building fires continue. A mix of firemen, police and citizens battling the blaze. A few young men running into the fire along a street of houses for unknown reasons, but may be heading for home or known area locations. Running right into and through the flames. These are wood fires of houses and trees not fuel, which explains the whitish smoke.
participants (2)
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Greg Newby -
John Young