Small plane crashes in Clarence Center

[samanthajane13]

Everyone who was in the house got out
safely

Updated: Thursday, 12 Feb 2009, 11:02 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 12 Feb 2009, 10:31 PM EST

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - A small plane has crashed into a house on Long Street west of Goodrich.

We are told everyone who was in that house got out safely, but that house is engulfed in flames.

It's described as a 'massive fire' at the scene.

There is no word on the fate of the pilot of the plane or anyone else who may have been on board.

The first report of this crash came in about 10:20 p.m.

The area is shut down right now.

We do know a command center has been set up at Roll Road and Goodrich, that is near the scene.

Some residents have been evacuated to the Clarence Center fire hall.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/possibl...larence_090212

30 people were on the plane and we don't know their status. It's a commercial commuter plane-last reported as Continental.

Reports are still coming in on the news, but not being updated online by the stations yet.

[samanthajane13]

Plane crashes into house
in Clarence
Everyone who was in the house got out
safely

Updated: Thursday, 12 Feb 2009, 11:51 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 12 Feb 2009, 10:31 PM EST

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Continental airliner with fifty to sixty seats has crashed into a house on Long Street west of Goodrich.

We are told everyone who was in that house got out safely, but that house is engulfed in flames.

It's described as a 'massive fire' at the scene.

There is no word on the fate of the pilot of the plane or anyone else who may have been on board.

The first report of this crash came in about 10:20 p.m.

The area is shut down right now.

A command center has been set up at Roll Road and Goodrich, that is near the scene.

Some residents have been evacuated to the Clarence Center fire hall.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/possibl...larence_090212

[samanthajane13]

At last count, there were fire fighters from 10 different towns on the scene, and about 15 ambulances were there.

Looking for pictures now...

[samanthajane13]

Picture of the type of plane-

http://www.v1flyaircraft.com/aircraf...raer-rj145.htm


Possibly Flight number 2305 from Newark, NJ

[samanthajane13]

Flight Details
Origin: New York, NJ (Newark Liberty International Airport )
Destination: Buffalo, NY (Buffalo Niagara International Airport)
Travel Date(s): February 12, 2009
Airline: Continental Airlines
Operated By: Colgan Air Dba Continental Connection
Flight Number: 3407
Aircraft: DH4 (de Havilland DHC-8 Dash 8-400 Dash 8Q)
Classes Offered: Economy
Departure Time: 7:10 pm
Arrival Time: 8:48 pm
Stops: Non-Stop
Travel Time: 1 hour(s) 38 minutes
Terminal: Terminal C


http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Con...lines_Q400.php

[samanthajane13]

49 killed as plane crashes into Clarence Center home
Updated: 02/13/09 12:07 AM

Forty-nine people reportedly died when an aircraft identified as a Continental Airlines flight crashed into a house in Clarence Center shortly after 10 p.m. last night, starting a huge fire which poured thick smoke throughout the hamlet.

Unconfirmed reports from a source at Buffalo Niagara International Airport said that the dead included 44 passengers, four crew members and a person on the ground.

County Executive Chris Collins said that there may have been as many as 50 people aboard the plane and crew members had reported mechanical problems as they approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Several injured people were taken from the scene to Erie County Medical Center for treatment.

Television reports said the crash site was 6050 Long St., not far from the Clarence Center Fire Hall on Clarence Center Road. Police said that one man was in the residence at the time of the crash.


http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/577959.html

[samanthajane13]

Commuter plane crashes into home in upstate NY
Feb 13 12:04 AM US/Eastern

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - New York state police say a 50-passenger commuter plane has crashed into a home in suburban Buffalo.

State Trooper John Manthey says the plane hit a house in Clarence around 10:10 p.m. Thursday. The house is engulfed in flames.

He says they don't know whether there were any passengers on the plane. They also don't know if there were any injuries in the home.

Manthey says the plane may have been headed to Buffalo Niagara International Airport. He says authorities have called the Federal Aviation Administration.


http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

[samanthajane13]

Continental Flight 3407 Crash
Story Published: Feb 13, 2009 at 12:29 AM EST
Story Updated: Feb 13, 2009 at 12:44 AM EST

(Clarence Center, NY)- Eyewitness News crews are on the scene of a small plane crash reported at 6050 Long Street in Clarence Center, NY. The Continental Airlines Express flight from Newark crashed at approx 10:20pm. Officials say there are multiple fatalities from this incident. Families are asked to call 1-800-621-3263 for more information. Stay tuned to WKBW-TV Channel 7 and wkbw.com for the latest.



http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39535247.html

[samanthajane13]

Plane Carrying 48 Crashes Into N.Y. Home

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Feb. 13) -- An emergency director says there have been "multiple fatalities" after a Continental Express plane with 48 people aboard crashed into a suburban Buffalo home and erupted in flames.

Authorities say Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., hit a house in Clarence around 10:10 p.m. Thursday.

Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonet says the crash killed one person on the ground and an unknown number of people on the plane.

He says the plane was approaching Buffalo Niagara International Airport, about 10 miles away.

Twelve homes near the crash site have been evacuated.

Continental Airlines says the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operated by Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport.


http://news.aol.com/article/plane-ca...ny-home/342026

[samanthajane13]

Breaking News: Continental Airlines Plane Crashes in Clarence Center; 48 People Dead

New York State Police say all 48 people on board a Continental Airlines plane that crashed in Clarence Center were killed.

Concerned family members should call Continental Airlines at 1-800-621-3263.

Authorities tell 2 On Your Side the plane that went down on Long Street near the intersection of Goodrich and Clarence Center Roads was a commuter plane traveling from Newark, New Jersey to Buffalo. The plane last had radio contact with air traffic controllers in Clevaland at shortly after 10:00 p.m. while it flew at an altitude of 50,000 feet.

The airline is confirming the flight number of the plane is #1304. Continental says the plane that typically flies this route is a Dash-8 propeller aircraft.


http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story...64153&catid=37

[samanthajane13]

State Police: All 48
aboard Flight 3407 dead
Everyone who was in the house got out
safely

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 1:40 AM EST
Published : Thursday, 12 Feb 2009, 10:31 PM EST

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - State Police confirm all 48 people aboard Continental Flight 3407 have died in a plane crash.

Officials say the flight from Newark, New Jersey was on approach to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport when it crashed into a house in Clarence, N.Y.

Emergency officials say one person on the ground has also died.

Stay with News 4 and www.wivb.com for the latest on this developing story.

****

Continental flight 3407 has crashed into a house on Long Street west of Goodrich.

The aircraft has fifty to sixty seats.

We are told everyone who was in that house got out safely, but that house is engulfed in flames.

It's described as a 'massive fire' at the scene.

There is no word on the fate of the pilot of the plane or anyone else who may have been on board.

The first report of this crash came in about 10:20 p.m.

The area is shut down right now.

A command center has been set up at Roll Road and Goodrich, that is near the scene.

Some residents have been evacuated to the Clarence Center fire hall.

For Continental information: 1-800-523-3273.

The number for families is 1-800-621-3263.


Video 1-

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/clarenc...video_1_090212

Video 2-

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/clarenc...video_2_090212


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/possibl...larence_090212

[samanthajane13]

More Continental Flight 3407 Video
Story Published: Feb 13, 2009 at 1:09 AM EST
Story Updated: Feb 13, 2009 at 1:09 AM EST

http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39540...?video=YHI&t=a

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - An emergency director says there have been
"multiple fatalities" after a Continental Express plane with 48
people aboard crashed into a suburban Buffalo home and erupted in
flames.

Authorities say Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., hit a house in
Clarence around 10:10 p.m. Thursday.

Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonet says the crash
killed one person on the ground and an unknown number of people on
the plane.

He says the plane was approaching Buffalo Niagara International
Airport, about 10 miles away.

Twelve homes near the crash site have been evacuated.

Continental Airlines says the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operated by
Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air was operating between Newark Liberty
International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport.


http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39540627.html

[SaraSidle]

Originally Posted by samanthajane13

More Continental Flight 3407 Video
Story Published: Feb 13, 2009 at 1:09 AM EST
Story Updated: Feb 13, 2009 at 1:09 AM EST

http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39540...?video=YHI&t=a

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - An emergency director says there have been
"multiple fatalities" after a Continental Express plane with 48
people aboard crashed into a suburban Buffalo home and erupted in
flames.

Authorities say Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., hit a house in
Clarence around 10:10 p.m. Thursday.

Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonet says the crash
killed one person on the ground and an unknown number of people on
the plane.

He says the plane was approaching Buffalo Niagara International
Airport, about 10 miles away.

Twelve homes near the crash site have been evacuated.

Continental Airlines says the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operated by
Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air was operating between Newark Liberty
International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport.


http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39540627.html

You are so on top of this Samantha. What a tragedy.. Is this near where you live?

[samanthajane13]

Yup, Sara...

It's about a 20 minute drive from my house. I have cousins that live in the same town-a few miles from the crash site.

Plane crash in upstate NY kills 49 people
By JOHN WAWROW John Wawrow – 6 mins ago



CLARENCE, N.Y. – A commuter plane crashed into a suburban Buffalo home and erupted in flames late Thursday, killing all 48 people aboard and one person on the ground, authorities said.

Flames silhouetted the shattered home after Continental Connection Flight 3407 plummeted into it around 10:20 p.m.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile from the crash site. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft, operated by Colgan Air, was flying from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in light snow, fog and 17 mph winds.

Dworak said while residents of his neighborhood about 10 miles from the Buffalo airport were used to planes rumbling overhead, but this one sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made some odd noises. After hearing the crash, he drove over to take a look, and "all we were seeing was 50 to 100 foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit," he said.

Witness Tony Tatro said he saw the plane flying low and knew it was in trouble.

"It was not spiraling at all. The left wing was a little low," he told WGRZ-TV.

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since Aug. 27, 2006, when 49 people were killed after a Comair jetliner took off from a Lexington, Ky., runway that was too short.

Prior to the crash, the voice of a female pilot on Continental flight 3407 can be heard communicating with air traffic controllers, according to a recording of the Buffalo air traffic control's radio messages shortly before the crash captured by the Web site http://www.liveatc.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot exchange any concerns that anything is out of the ordinary as the airplane is asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tries to contact the plane saying but hears no response. After a pause, he tries to contact the plane again.

Then the controller asks the pilot of a nearby Delta Air Lines plane to see if he can see the Continental flight.

"Delta 1998, look off your right side about 5 miles for a Dash 8 about 2,300 (feet). You see anything there?" he asks.

"Uh, negative," the Delta pilot says.

Houston-based Continental Airlines issued a statement saying that preliminary information showed the plane carried 44 passengers and a crew of four.

"At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them," the statement said.

Chris Kausner, believing his sister was on the plane, rushed to a hastily established command center after calling his vacationing mother in Florida to break the news.

"To tell you the truth, I heard my mother make a noise on the phone that I've never heard before. So not good, not good," he told reporters.

Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonette said the crash also killed one person on the ground.

Manassas, Va.-based Colgan did not immediately return telephone calls. The Federal Aviation Administration had no immediate comment.

Twelve homes were evacuated near the crash site, about 10 miles from the airport. The tail or part of a wing was visible through flames and thick smoke that engulfed the scene.

Two women believed to be residents of the neighborhood were being treated at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital for what were described as non-life threatening injuries, hospital spokesman Michael Hughes said.

They were transported by ambulance approximately 11:35 p.m.

The crash came less than a month after a US Airways pilot guided his crippled plane to a landing in the Hudson River off Manhattan, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard. Birds had apparently disabled both its engines.

On Dec. 20, a Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at the Denver airport, injuring 38 people.

Continental's release said relatives and friends of those on Flight 3407 who wanted to give or receive information about those on board could telephone a special family assistance number, 1-800-621-3263.

___

Associated Press writers Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, Linda Franklin in Dallas, Daniel Yee in Atlanta and Cristian Salazar and Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/...lane_into_home

My prayers go out for the victims and their families...

[samanthajane13]

Update regarding
airplane crash of
Continental Flight
#3407
News Release

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 2:09 AM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 1:59 AM EST

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) - Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital released the following information regarding Continental Flight #3407, which crashed late Thursday night in Clarence Center, New York.

Emergency department crews at the hospital are treating two females, who are believed to be residents of the Long Street neighborhood where the plane crashed.

They were transported by ambulance to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital at approximately 11:35 p.m., with non-life threatening injuries.

Less than seven miles away, Millard Fillmore Suburban is the closest hospital to the crash site, which has been reported to be 6050 Long Street, Clarence Center.

For families looking for information regarding the flight or its passengers, they are asked to call the Continental Airlines hotline, 1-800-621-3263.

The Town of Clarence number is 716-741-8930. Hospitals officials early Friday morning also confirmed they are on standby in the event fire officials or any other patients need evaluation.

Millard Fillmore Suburban recently underwent a $64 million expansion, which includes a new, state of the art decontamination room.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/update_...ht_3407_090212

[samanthajane13]

Pix-from various news agencies...






























I'll check later for more pictures-in the daylight.

[samanthajane13]

Plane crash in upstate NY kills 49 people
By JOHN WAWROW John Wawrow – 32 mins ago

CLARENCE, N.Y. – A sputtering commuter plane slammed into a suburban Buffalo home in a fiery explosion that killed all 48 people on board and one person on the ground, authorities said.

Flames silhouetted the shattered home after Continental Connection Flight 3407 plummeted into it around 10:20 p.m.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile from the crash site. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact, Erie County Executive Chris Collins said.

Firefighters got as close to the plane as they could, he said. "They were shouting out to see if there were any survivors on the plane. Truly a very heroic effort, but there were no survivors."

The twin-turboprop operated by Colgan Air was flying from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in light snow, fog and 17 mph winds.

Prior to the crash, the voice of a female pilot on Flight 3407 could be heard communicating with air traffic controllers, according to a recording of the Buffalo air traffic control's radio messages shortly before the crash captured by the Web site http://www.liveatc.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot shows any concern that anything is out of the ordinary as the airplane is asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tries to contact the plane but hears no response. After a pause, he tries to contact the plane again.

Then the controller asks the pilot of a nearby Delta Air Lines plane to see whether he can see the Continental flight. The Delta pilot says no.

About three to four minutes after that, he tells an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area.

"You need to find if anything is on the ground," the controller says. "All I can tell you is the aircraft is over the marker (landing beacon), and we're not talking to them now."

Later, he tells all aircraft monitoring the same frequency: "We did have a Dash 8 over the marker that didn't make the airport. He appears to be about five miles away from the airport."

While residents of his neighborhood about 10 miles from the Buffalo airport were used to planes rumbling overhead, witnesses said this one sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made some odd noises.

After hearing the crash, Dworak drove over to take a look, and "all we were seeing was 50 to 100 foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."

Witness Tony Tatro said he saw the plane flying low and knew it was in trouble.

"It was not spiraling at all. The left wing was a little low," he told WGRZ-TV.

Doug Hartmayer, a spokesman for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority that operates the airport, said it was unknown if the airport reported any trouble.

"There is an extensive investigation as we speak," Hartmayer said. "There was very little or any communication before the crash."

"The plane simply dropped off the radar screen," he said.

Amy Kudwa, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, said there was no indication terrorism was involved.

"All indications are that this was an air-safety event," she said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team of crash investigators, headed by Lorenda Ward, to Buffalo early Friday. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency would join the NTSB investigation. The NTSB planned a 4 a.m. news conference in Clarence.

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since Aug. 27, 2006, when 49 people were killed after a Comair jetliner took off from a Lexington, Ky., runway that was too short.

The newest member of Bombardier's Dash-8 class aircraft, the Q400 had its first flight in 1998 and entered commercial service in February 2000.

Houston-based Continental Airlines issued a statement saying that preliminary information showed the plane carried 44 passengers and a crew of four.

"At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them," the statement said.

Chris Kausner, believing his sister was on the plane, rushed to a hastily established command center after calling his vacationing mother in Florida to break the news.

"To tell you the truth, I heard my mother make a noise on the phone that I've never heard before. So not good, not good," he told reporters.

He told The Buffalo News his sister, Ellyce, was a law student at Florida Coastal University in Jacksonville and on her way home for a visit.

Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonette said the crash killed one person on the ground.

Clarence is a growing eastern suburb of Buffalo, largely residential but with rural stretches. The crash site is a street of older, single-family homes which apparently back up to wooded area.

Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air said in a statement that airline personnel and local authorities were working to confirm the number of people on board and their identities.

Twelve homes were evacuated near the crash site, about 10 miles from the airport. The tail or part of a wing was visible through flames and thick smoke that engulfed the scene. While the fire was contained, smoke still billowed over the scene about four hours later. Houses in the neighborhood are only about 20-25 feet apart.

"The fact that the damage is limited to the one residence is really amazing," said state police spokeswoman Rebecca Gibbons.

As family members of the victims trickled in to the airport in the overnight hours, they were escorted by airport personnel to a private area.

Two women believed to be residents of the neighborhood were being treated at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital for what were described as non-life threatening injuries, hospital spokesman Michael Hughes said. They were transported by ambulance at approximately 11:35 p.m.

The crash came less than a month after a US Airways pilot guided his crippled plane to a landing in the Hudson River off Manhattan, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard. Birds had apparently disabled both its engines.

On Dec. 20, a Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at the Denver airport, injuring 38 people.

Continental's release said relatives and friends of those on Flight 3407 who wanted to give or receive information about those on board could telephone a special family assistance number, 1-800-621-3263.

___

On the Net:

Audio of air traffic control: http://snurl.com/bsx2j

___

Associated Press writers Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, Linda Franklin in Dallas, Daniel Yee in Atlanta and Cristian Salazar and Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/...lane_into_home

[samanthajane13]

Updated: 02/13/09 04:43 AM
49 KILLED AS PLANE CRASHES INTO HOME IN CLARENCE CENTER
By Dale Anderson and Phil Fairbanks
News Staff Reporters

Forty-nine people died when a Continental Express airplane crashed into a house in Clarence Center shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday, setting off a huge fire that could be seen miles away.

The dead included 44 passengers, four crew members and a person on the ground.

A nurse at Erie County Medical Center said the hospital's second shift had been told to stay late to treat survivors but was sent home before midnight.

"There were no souls to bring in and treat," she said.

Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority spokesman C. Douglas Hartmayer said there was little communication between the plane, Flight 3407, and the tower before the crash. Crew members aboard the flight from Newark Airport had reported mechanical problems as they approached Buffalo.

The plane reportedly was a Bombardier Q400, a twin-engine turboprop with a passenger capacity of about 74.

"I was told by the tower the plane simply dropped off the radar screen," Hartmayer said.

Initial reports said the crash site was 6038 Long St., not far from the Clarence Center Fire Hall on Clarence Center Road. Police said one man was in the residence at the time of the crash.

About 12 other nearby homes were evacuated. Several of them sustained fire damage.

"We had a significant amount of fuel left in the aircraft, said Dave Bissonette, emergency co ordinator for the Town of Clarence. "It was a hazmat situation."

Chris Kausner of Clarence, whose sister Ellyce was aboard the flight, told The Buffalo News that after he heard about the crash, he called another sister who had gone to pick her up at the airport to see if her plane had landed.

"She said that they told them the plane had landed and was taxiing, but that was not the case," he said.

Kausner said Ellyce was a law student at Florida Coastal University in Jacksonville and was coming home to visit.

Family members of Flight 3407 passengers and crew are asked to contact Continental Airlines at 1-800-621-3263.

In Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board announced that it will be sending a team to Buffalo this morning to investigate the crash.

Lorenda Ward will serve as chief investigator. She has investigated several other plane crashes during her tenure at the agency -- including the fall 2007 crash in Manhattan that claimed the life of New York Yankees pitcher Corey Lidle.

Safety Board Commissioner Steven Chealander and public affairs officer Keith Holloway will accompany Ward to Buffalo. While the agency's investigations usually take months to complete, the agency said it would hold a news conference to discuss the accident in the Buffalo area today.


http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/577959.html

[samanthajane13]

Updated: 02/13/09 03:15 AM
First fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the U.S. since 2006
News Staff

The crash of Flight 3407 on Thursday night was believed to be the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States in almost 2-1/2 years, since a Comair jetliner crashed Aug. 27, 2006, in Lexington, Ky. In a sad coincidence, 49 people were killed in that accident, the same number that lost their lives in Thursday night's crash. The 2006 crash in Kentucky involved a jet that took off from the wrong runway.

The Clarence Center crash Thursday night occurred just four weeks after a US Airways pilot ditched his plane into the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard.

Thursday's disaster wasn't the only local plane crash that resulted in multiple deaths, but you'd apparently have to go back to World War II to find such a tragedy. More than 66 years ago, in the fall of 1942, 14 workers at the Curtiss-Wright factory in Cheektowaga were killed when a fighter plane that had been built in the plant caught fire during a training run and crashed into the roof of the plant. The pilot had aimed the burning plane toward farmlands around Transit Road and bailed out. For some unknown reason, the plane turned and crashed into the building, spewing metal and burning fuel that killed 14 "Soldiers of Production." The date of that fatal 1942 crash: Sept. 11.


http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/578063.html

[samanthajane13]

Beverly Eckert, widow of 9/11 victim, was aboard Flight 3407
By Sharon Linstedt and Dale Anderson
News Staff Reporters

The usually joyful meet-and-greet area of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport was a corridor of tears and sorrow early this morning as family and friends of those aboard Continental Express Flight 3407 filed in to get official word of their loved ones' fates.

For Sue Bourque, the wait for confirmation regarding her sister, Beverly Eckert, was all too familiar. Eckert is the widow of Sean Rooney, a Buffalo native who lost his life in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Eckert was traveling to Buffalo for a weekend celebration of what would have been her husband's 58th birthday. She also had planned to take part in presentation of a scholarship award at Canisius High School that she established in honor of her late husband. Bourque said that while the family had not yet received official confirmation of her sister's fate, the reality was settling in. "We know she was on that plane," Bourque said, "and now she's with him." Eckert, Rooney's high school sweetheart, continued to live in their home in Stamford, Conn., after the terrorists' attacks of 2001. As co-chairwoman of Voices of Sept. 11, she pushed for a formal commission to investigate intelligence failures and for a proper memorial to the victims. Family members and friends identified two other people believed to be on the plane as Ellyce Kausner, a graduate of Clarence High School and Canisius College who was studying law at Florida Coastal University in Jacksonville, and Maddy Loftus, a Buffalo State College graduate who lives in New Jersey. Friends said Loftus was heading here for a weekend reunion of Buffalo State women hockey players. One friend said she may have been flying with other young women heading here for the same reunion. "You never think this is going to happen to you," Kausner's aunt, Susan Leckey, also from Clarence, said at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. "It always happens to somebody else, and you see it on TV." Those waiting to pick up passengers from the ill-fated flight at the time of the crash were ushered to the USAirways Lounge, where airline employees answered general questions and offered consolation, beverages and snacks. A chaplain also was brought in to calm the distraught loved ones. But formal conformation was not expected to be given until later this morning, when Continental corporate officials could be flown to Buffalo. "We know they're dead. Why can't they just tell us or take us to ID them," said one grieving man who declined to give his name.

Passengers arriving for early morning flights also were subdued. "I really don't feel like getting on a plane right now," said Runda Ry, who had driven from Toronto to catch a flight to Atlanta.

slinstedt@buffnews.com


http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/578061.html

[samanthajane13]

Google map...don't know how to copy it,so here's the link.


http://www.wivb.com/generic/news/flight_3407_map

[samanthajane13]

Colgan Air responds to
Flight 3407 accident
News Release

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 3:24 AM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 2:54 AM EST

MANASSAS, Va. (WIVB) - Continental Connection flight number 3407, operated by Colgan Air Inc., was involved in an accident at about 10:20 p.m. EST today while the aircraft, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

The accident occurred in the vicinity of Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Preliminary information indicates that the aircraft carried 44 passengers and a crew of four, although this is subject to confirmation.

At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air’s accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them.

Airline personnel and local authorities have already begun working to confirm the number of people on board and their identities.

Relatives and friends of those traveling on flight 3407 who want to give or receive information about those on board may telephone the family assistance number at 1-800-621-3263.

Colgan Air will continue to release additional information as it is confirmed.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/colgan_...ccident_090212

[samanthajane13]

Statement from Governor
David A. Paterson
regarding crash of
Flight 3407
News Release

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 3:52 AM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 3:18 AM EST

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - "Earlier tonight, Continental Airlines Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air Inc., crashed just miles outside of Buffalo Niagara International Airport after departing from Newark Liberty International Airport. The devastating crash took place at approximately 10:20 p.m.

"Forty-four passengers were killed along with four crew members and at least one person on the ground, according to New York State Police. A team of emergency responders and aviation officials are still evaluating the situation and working to gather as much information as possible. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400.

"As we continue to monitor the situation in the Town of Clarence, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were on board, and with the people of the Buffalo metropolitan area. We will work closely with law enforcement and aviation officials to give families, loved ones and the public updated information as it becomes available.

"Families and loved ones seeking information should call Continental Airlines' emergency information number at (800) 621-3263."


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/stateme...ht_3407_090213

[samanthajane13]

Continental Airlines Offers Support to Colgan Air in Providing Assistance to Families of Flight 3407 Passengers and Crew
Friday February 13, 2:18 am ET

HOUSTON, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL - News) this morning expressed its profound sadness concerning the accident involving flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, that occurred Thursday night near Buffalo.

"Continental extends its deepest sympathy to the family members and loved ones of those involved in this accident," said Larry Kellner, chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines. "We are providing our full assistance to Colgan Air so that together we can provide as much support as possible for all concerned."

Continental representatives are traveling to Buffalo to provide assistance to Colgan in its response to the accident. A family assistance center is being established in the area.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the family members and loved ones of those involved in the flight 3407 tragedy," Kellner added.

Family members of flight 3407 passengers and crew should contact the airline at 1-800-621-3263.


http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/090213/laf038.html?.v=101

[samanthajane13]

Plane crashes into suburban Buffalo-area home; 49 killed


(CNN) -- A Continental Airlines plane crashed into a home near Buffalo, New York, late Thursday, killing 44 passengers and four crew members on board, according to New York State police.

Authorities said one person in the Clarence Center, New York, home was also killed. Two people in the home suffered minor injuries and were taken to a local hospital, authorities said.

Continental Connection Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, was en route from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo when it went down at around 10:20 p.m. The crash occurred about seven miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Dave Bissonette, Clarence Center's natural disaster services coordinator, said it was "clearly a direct hit" on the house.

"The only recognizable piece of the plane left is the tail," Bissonette said.

CNN has listened to a tape of communications between air traffic control and the flight crew. The first officer had no sign of stress in her voice initially. The plane was cleared for approach. About two minutes later, the air traffic controller came back, with stress in his voice. Radar contact was lost.

The question went out: Can other planes see anything? No one responds. The controller says they might have a plane down. The pilot's last comment was "Colgan Flight 3407." There were no sounds of distress.

Authorities said the plane went down near a local fire hall, so firefighters were quick to respond to the accident scene.

Area resident Keith Burtis said he was driving to the store about a mile from the crash site when he heard the plane go down.

"It was a high-pitched sound," Burtis said. "It felt like a mini-earthquake."

Shortly after the crash, Burtis said he saw a steady stream of fire trucks rush by him as smoke billowed into the sky. Other witnesses told CNN they saw the plane nose-dive toward the ground.

According to the Buffalo News newspaper, one of the crash victims, Beverly Eckert, was the widow of 9/11 terror attack victim Sean Rooney, a Buffalo native. Eckert was traveling to Buffalo for a weekend celebration of what would have been her husband's 58th birthday.

She also had planned to take part in presentation of a scholarship award at Canisius High School that she established in honor of her late husband, the newspaper reported.

Her sister, Sue Bourque, said that while the family had not yet received official confirmation of her sister's fate, the reality was settling in. "We know she was on that plane," Bourque told the newspaper, "and now she's with him."

Twelve residents were evacuated from the area of the plane crash. Law enforcement officials are asking people not to go to the crash site in fear they may hinder the investigation.

"I felt the impact ... sounded like a large explosion," said Brendan Biddlecon, who told CNN he lives two blocks from where the plane crashed.

Biddlecon ran out his home and to within a couple hundred yards of the crash. The smoke was thick and acrid, and the heat was intense, he said.

"This is clearly a tragedy," said Dave Bissonette, the town's natural disaster services coordinator.

The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office established a command post at the scene and had investigators there, a statement from the office said. Officials said relatives of passengers aboard the flight should call 1-800-621-3263 for information.

A statement from the airline said: "At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them."

Continental Airlines confirmed that the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, a 74-seat turboprop, was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) permanently grounded its fleet of Dash 8s after three crash landings during a two-month period in 2007 that were blamed on the aircraft's landing gear.

"Confidence in the Q400 has diminished considerably and our customers are becoming increasingly doubtful about flying in this type of aircraft," Mats Jansson, president and CEO of SAS, said at the time. "I have decided to immediately remove Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from service."

The National Transportation Safety Board said early Friday that was preparing a "go team" to head to Buffalo to investigate the crash.

According to the National Weather Service weather observation for Buffalo, there was light snow, fog and mist shortly before 10 p.m. Flight 3407 was originally scheduled to depart at 7:45 p.m., but it was delayed.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the crew, the passengers and our residents on Long Street," said Clarence Supervisor Scott Blylewski.

Thursday's incident is the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since August 2006 when Comair Flight 5191 crashed when it attempted to take off from the wrong runway.

Rep. Chris Lee, R-New York, issued a statement: "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic accident that occurred tonight in Clarence. Our focus right now is on supporting the first responders on the ground and their efforts to ensure the health and safety of people in the area.

"I will do my best to provide helpful information as we learn more. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families at this difficult hour."


http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/13/pla...ork/index.html

[samanthajane13]

At least 49 killed in plane crash near Buffalo
Commuter flight goes down in snow and fog, smashes into home in N.Y.

CLARENCE, New York - A commuter plane crashed into a suburban Buffalo home and erupted in flames late Thursday, killing all 48 people aboard and one person on the ground, authorities said. Witnesses heard the twin turboprop aircraft sputtering before it went down in light snow and fog.

Flames silhouetted the shattered home after Continental Connection Flight 3407 plummeted into it around 10:20 p.m.

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since Aug. 27, 2006, when 49 people were killed after a Comair jetliner took off from a Lexington, Ky., runway that was too short.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile from the crash site, told The Associated Press. He said that residents of the neighborhood, about 10 miles from the Buffalo airport, were used to planes rumbling overhead, but he took note Thursday night when one sounded louder than usual and made some odd noises.

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact, Erie County Executive Chris Collins said.

Firefighters got as close to the plane as they could, he said.

"They were shouting out to see if there were any survivors on the plane. Truly a very heroic effort, but there were no survivors," Collins said.

The aircraft, operated by Colgan Air, was flying from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in light snow, fog and 17 mph winds.

'There was a big bang'
"We were thinking it was just another plane," he said. "It kind of made some sputtering noises but they lower the landing gear over our house a lot so the noise from the planes a lot of time will change kind of drastically as they go over."

"All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook," he said.

He drove over to take a look, and "all we were seeing was 50-to-100-foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit," he said.

Amy Kudwa, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington said there was no indication terrorism was involved.

"All indications are that this was an air-safety event," she said.

Kudwa referred all other questions to the FAA.

Houston-based Continental Airlines issued a statement saying that preliminary information showed the plane carried 44 passengers and a crew of four.

"At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them," the statement said.

"Continental extends its deepest sympathy to the family members and loved ones of those involved in this accident," said Larry Kellner, chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines, in a later statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the family members and loved ones of those involved in the flight 3407 tragedy."

Continental representatives were traveling to Buffalo to provide assistance to Colgan in its response to the accident. A family assistance center is being established in the area.

Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonette said the crash also killed one person on the ground.

A mother and daughter who live on the street where the plane crashed were being treated at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital for what were described as non-life-threatening injuries, hospital spokesman Michael Hughes said. Two volunteer firefighters also were being treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries.

Relatives' grief
Chris Kausner of Clarence, believing his sister was on the plane, rushed to a hastily established command center after calling his vacationing mother in Florida to break the news.

"To tell you the truth, I heard my mother make a noise on the phone that I've never heard before. So not good, not good," he told reporters.

He told The Buffalo News his sister, Ellyce, was a law student at Florida Coastal University in Jacksonville and on her way home for a visit.

Sue Bourque told The Buffalo News her sister, Beverly Eckert, was aboard the plane. Eckert is the widow of Sean Rooney, who was killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Bourque said that while the family had not yet received official confirmation of her sister's fate, the reality was settling in.

"We know she was on that plane," she told the newspaper, "and now she's with him."

Continued...

[samanthajane13]

Aircraft dropped off radar screen
Doug Hartmayer, a spokesman for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority that operates the airport, said it was unknown if the airport reported any trouble.

"There is an extensive investigation as we speak," Hartmayer said. "There was very little or any communication before the crash."

"The plane simply dropped off the radar screen," he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board planned a 4 a.m. news conference in Clarence; Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency would join a team investigating the scene at sunrise.

Witness Tony Tatro said he saw the plane flying low and knew it was in trouble.

"It was not spiraling at all. The left wing was a little low," he told WGRZ-TV.

Pilot's voice on recording
Before the crash, the voice of a female pilot on Flight 3407 can be heard communicating with air traffic controllers, according to a recording of the Buffalo air traffic control's radio messages shortly before the crash captured by the Web site www.liveatc.net.

Neither the controller nor the pilot exchanges any concerns that anything is out of the ordinary as the airplane is asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tries to contact the plane but hears no response. After a pause, he tries to contact the plane again.

Then the controller asks the pilot of a nearby Delta Air Lines plane to see whether he can see the Continental flight. The Delta pilot says no.

About three to four minutes after that, he tells an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area.

"You need to find if anything is on the ground," the controller says. "All I can tell you is the aircraft is over the marker (landing beacon), and we're not talking to them now."

Later, he tells all aircraft monitoring the same frequency: "We did have a Dash 8 over the marker that didn't make the airport. He appears to be about five miles away from the airport."

After the crash, at least two pilots are heard saying they have been picking up ice on their wings.

"We've been getting ice since 20 miles south of the airport," one says.

The newest member of Bombardier's Dash-8 class aircraft, the Q400 had its first flight in 1998 and entered commercial service in February 2000.

Clarence is a growing eastern suburb of Buffalo, largely residential but with rural stretches. The crash site is a street of older, single-family homes which apparently back up to wooded area.

Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air said in a statement that airline personnel and local authorities were working to confirm the number of people on board and their identities.

Homes evacuated
Twelve homes were evacuated near the crash site, about 10 miles from the airport. The tail or part of a wing was visible through flames and thick smoke that engulfed the scene. While the fire was contained, smoke still billowed over the scene about four hours later. Houses in the neighborhood are only about 20-25 feet apart.

The house that was demolished was a two-story, wood-frame house that backed up to a large open field.

"The fact that the damage is limited to the one residence is really amazing," said state police spokeswoman Rebecca Gibbons.

As family members of the victims trickled in to the airport in the overnight hours, they were escorted by airport personnel to a private area.

'Surreal' scene
Collins, the Erie County executive, described the crash site as "surreal," with the tail of the plane sticking out of the ground.

The crash came less than a month after a US Airways pilot guided his crippled plane to a landing in the Hudson River off Manhattan, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard. Birds had apparently disabled both its engines.

On Dec. 20, a Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at the Denver airport, injuring 38 people.

Continental's release said relatives and friends of those on Flight 3407 who wanted to give or receive information about those on board could telephone a special family assistance number, 1-800-621-3263.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29173163/

[f0revery0urs]

This is horrible. My prayers are with the families of the people on the flight.

[samanthajane13]

NTSB investigation on
hold
Scene still too hot

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 6:49 AM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 6:43 AM EST

* Melissa Holmes
* Posted by Emma Orn

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's a tragedy that everyone is still trying to wrap their minds around. The crash scene is still so hot, officials still can't even begin to investigate what caused the plane to go down Thursday night.

Continental Express Flight 3407 from Newark, NJ, carryiIt's a tragedy that everyone is still trying to wrap their minds around. The crash scene is still so hot, officials still can't even begin to investigate what caused the plane to go down Thursday night.
ng 44 passengers and 4 crew members was only 5 miles from landing at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport at approximately 10:20 p.m., when suddenly it crashed into a home on Long Road in Clarence Center.

All 48 on board and one resident of 6038 Long Street perished in the tragedy. Two other residents escaped with minor injuries.

There is no information about what caused the plane to crash. News 4 obtained audio from airliners.net- the last conversation between the female pilot and air traffic control.

1 minute and 10 seconds after that conversation ended, Buffalo controllers tried to contact the pilot, no response. You can hear the sheer terror in the voices of witnesses in the cell phone video in attached video, when the Q-400 Bombadier aircraft operated by Colgan Air struck the home.

Officials declared it a limited state of emergency and mutual aid from fire departments, NFTA, state police and sheriff's deputies did all they could to control the scene.

Erie County Executive Chris Collins said, "We did evacuate approximately 12 homes and they pretty much went to neighbors houses, there's no one in any shelters."

Dave Bissonette, Clarence Emergency Coordinator said, "This is not a rescue effort. We're in the overhaul mode if you will."

This is the nation's deadliest crash since a Comair commuter jet crashed in Lexington Kentucky in August 2006.

Again, no one knows what caused the plane to crash, but crew members had not reported any mechanical problems as they approached the airport. NTSB officials are on their way to western New York to begin their investigation. It could be sometime before we have any answers.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Too_ear...crash_20090213

[samanthajane13]

Continental Connection Flight 3407 Crash, 50 Confirmed Dead
Story Published: Feb 13, 2009 at 9:46 AM EST
Story Updated: Feb 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST

1:00pm UPDATE

CLARENCE, N.Y.- Investigators are trying to determine what caused Continental Connection Flight 3407 to nose-dive into a suburban Buffalo house last night. But there are signs that weather might have been a factor. The commuter plane was heading for a landing when it went down in light snow and fog five miles short of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. There was no mayday call from the pilot before the crash. But afterward, at least two pilots reported they had been picking up ice on their wings. One former federal aviation official says the plane's nearly vertical drop suggests a sudden loss of control. William Voss, who's now president of the Flight Safety Foundation, says that suggests icing or a mechanical failure might have been the cause. Ice on the wings can alter aerodynamics and interfere with lift and handling.

12:40pm UPDATE

BUFFALO, N.Y.- The pilot of the plane that crashed near Buffalo had been with the airline for nearly 3½ years and had more than 3,000 hours of flying experience with the carrier. Capt. Marvin Renslow lived in a suburb of Tampa, Fla. Neighbors say he had two children in elementary school. The 47-year-old Renslow joined Pinnacle Airlines in September 2005. Pinnacle is the parent of Colgan Air, which was operating the plane as a Continental Connection flight. First Officer Rebecca Shaw joined the airline in January 2008. She had flown more than 2,000 hours with the carrier. Flight attendants were Matilda Quintero and Donna Prisco. An off-duty crew member was Capt. Joseph Zuffoletto.

11:45am UPDATE

A Pinnacle airlines official says the commuter plane that crashed near Buffalo, N.Y., was new and had a clean safety record, leaving investigators few immediate clues about why it suddenly plunged into a house minutes before its planned landing, killing 50 people. The aircraft crashed Thursday night about five miles from the runway, near the point where a pilot would begin setting the plane up for landing. Skies were foggy and winds were 17 mph, but there was no indication of anything out of the ordinary and no mayday call, according to a recording of air traffic control radio messages captured by the Web site LiveATC.net.

CANISIUS H.S. REMEMBERS BEVERLY ECKERT:

"Canisius High School is mourning the loss of those involved in the tragedy, including Ms. Beverly Eckert. Beverly was a friend and wonderful supporter or Canisius. She was the husband of Sean Rooney '69 who was a victim in the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Ms. Eckert was en route to Buffalo to celebrate the 58th birthday of her late husband as well as take part in the presentation of the Sean Rooney Memorial Scholarship at Canisius High School. “Beverly was a lovely woman who spent the last several years working hard to take the tragedy of Sean’s death and have something positive come from it,” John Knight, President of Canisius High School said. “She was committed to Canisius and the outstanding education her husband received. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. She will be missed.” Established in 2002, the scholarship, in memory of Sean Rooney, was established by Ms. Eckert with the generous support of family, friends and classmates. The scholarship is awarded to a high achiever who demonstrates financial need. Sean was a graduate of the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo and a member of the Canisius High School Class of 1969. Whenever possible, the award is given to a Catholic Academy of West Buffalo student or West Buffalo resident. In a quote taken from a letter written by Beverly Eckert in 2006, she expressed her positive feelings about the award, “From the first wave of compassionate outpouring at the initial fund-raiser, to the joy of meeting each young scholarship recipient, my experience with Canisius, its staff and its alumni has been immeasurably rewarding. It has more than exceeded my expectations of finding some way to counteract the destructive intent of terrorism. Ms. Beverly Eckert championed her husband and has turned the tragedy that ended his life into a positive return for many fortunate young Canisius students. Gentlemen like Mr. Remy Uwilingiyimana '06, the first recipient of the award in 2002, have Ms. Eckert to thank for enabling them to earn a Jesuit education at Canisius High School. “I thank God for all the generous people who’ve helped me. My family and I will pray for Mr. Rooney and his family every day.” Her efforts have not been limited to the Sean Rooney Memorial Scholarship alone. Ms. Eckert along with classmates from the Canisius High School Class of 1969, were raising funds to name one of the laboratories in our brand new state-of-the-art Math and Science Wing in the memory of her late husband. The Canisius High School Community mourns the loss of those involved in the tragedy and we pray for the continued strength of their families.”

Continued...

[samanthajane13]

11:05am UPDATE

FAA: Flight data, cockpit voice recorders found at crash scene.

10:50am UPDATE

WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama says the deadly plane crash in upstate New York reminds the nation of the fragility of life and the value of each day. Speaking at an event at the White House, Obama said Friday that his prayers are with families and friends who lost loved ones. A Continental commuter plane crashed into a house in suburban Buffalo on Thursday night, killing all 49 people aboard and a person in the home. One of the victims was Beverly Eckert, a Sept. 11 widow. She was just at the White House last week with Obama as part of a meeting he had with relatives of those killed in the 2001 attacks and the bombing of the USS Cole. Obama said Eckert was an inspiration to him and he hopes her family finds comfort in the days ahead.

10:35am UPDATE

STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR MIKE RANZENHOFER:

"On behalf of the citizens of the 61st District and the Town of Clarence, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragedy of Flight 3407. Our thoughts and prayers, as well as those of the entire State of New York, are with you at this most difficult time.
Our sincere thanks and gratitude go to our communities' first responders. It is times like these where our Western New York community comes together to help and console one another."

10:05am UPDATE

STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSWOMAN LOUISE SLAUGHTER:

"This tragedy is devastating for those of us who call Western New York home. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who lost loved ones in this terrible accident last night. My heartfelt thanks go to the heroes who rushed to the scene first to do whatever they could to help. My office and I are ready and working to provide any assistance we can at this difficult time."

9:35am UPDATE

CLARENCE, N.Y.- A team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators at the scene of last night's commuter airplane crash outside Buffalo. The NTSB's Steven Chealander held a news conference this morning and said a total of 14 crash experts are taking part in the investigation into why Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark plunged into a single-family home in Clarence. All 49 people on board the turboprop plane were killed, along with one person in the house. Two other people inside the home -- a 57-year-old woman and her 22-year-old daughter -- made it out of the house. Chealander says there are still some hot spots at the crash seen caused by the intense fire that raged after the plane suddenly plunged to the ground just a few miles from the Buffalo airport. He says investigators will try and retrieve the aircraft's black boxes today and see what they reveal about the moments leading up to the crash.

9:05am UPDATE

BUFFALO, N.Y.- New York Gov. David Paterson plans to visit the area where a Continental airplane crashed into a house near Buffalo, killing all 49 people on board and one person in the home. The governor's office says he is expected to land in Buffalo about 9:45 a.m. Friday. A spokeswoman says details of what he will do once he arrives are being finalized.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y.- Representatives from Continental Airlines are meeting with family and friends of the passengers of Flight 3407, the morning after all 49 people on board were killed when the commuter plane crashed into a house outside Buffalo. Victims' families arrived at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport throughout the night following the 10:20 p.m. crash and were taken by bus to a senior citizens center in nearby Cheektowaga. Airline representatives from Newark and Houston arrived at the center early Friday, where counselors also were on hand to speak with about 50 relatives and friends of the victims. Authorities are not releasing the names of the victims. One person on the ground also was killed.

8:50am UPDATE

STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSMAN BRIAN HIGGINS:

"Last night's catastrophic accident involving Continental Express Flight 3407 is devastating and will undoubtedly touch the lives of a significant number of Western New Yorkers. We are grateful for the selfless efforts of the first responders, many of whom are volunteer, who prevented further tragedy, working in the most dangerous of situations. We are deeply saddened for the loss felt by those close to the victims and will work closely with federal and local agencies to do all we can on their behalf."

STATEMENT FROM BUFFALO MAYOR BYRON BROWN:

"My wife Michelle and I are very saddened by the tragic crash that occurred last night just outside the City of Buffalo. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims of the crash.
My administration will do everything it can to assist in helping Erie County, other municipalities and agencies involved in the post-crash investigation."

8:05am UPDATE

CLARENCE. N.Y.- Airline now says 50 dead in fiery plane crash; 44 passengers, 4 crew, 1 off-duty pilot.

WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama has voiced condolences to the families of people lost in the crash of a commuter passenger jet in upstate New York. In a statement released by the White House Friday morning, Obama said that "Michelle and I are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic accident outside of Buffalo." Obama said that "our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones" on Continental Connection Flight 3407 Thursday night. He also said he wanted to thank the "brave first responders" who initially arrived on the scene, not far from the Buffalo airport, to try and save lives.

BUFFALO, N.Y.- Airline officials have identified the crew of Continental Connection Flight 3407 that crashed as it approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport, killing all 49 people on board. Pinnacle Airlines, the parent company of Colgan Air, which was operating the flight, says the pilot was Capt. Marvin Renslow, who joined the airline in September 2005 and had flown 3,379 hours with the carrier. The first officer was Rebecca Shaw, who joined Colgan last January and had flown 2,244 hours with Colgan. Flight attendants were Matilda Quintero and Donna Prisco, who both began flying with Colgan in May. Pinnacle says an off-duty crew member also was killed when the plane struck a home Thursday night. He was Capt. Joseph Zuffoletto. One person in the house died.

7:30am UPDATE

BREAKING NEWS: The death toll in the crash has now risen to 50. Eyewitness News has learned there were 49 people on board, not 48 as originally thought. One person was also killed on the ground.

WASHINGTON- Beverly Eckert, one of the victims of the Continental Flight 3407 crash near Buffalo, was a Sept. 11 widow and activist. Eckert, whose husband Sean Rooney died in the attack on the World Trade Center, was part of a small group of September 11 widows, mothers, and children who became amateur lobbyists, ultimately forcing lawmakers in 2004 to pass sweeping reforms of the U.S. intelligence apparatus. Another 9/11 activist says Eckert was flying to her hometown Thursday night when the plane crashed on approach to the Buffalo airport. She had planned to celebrate her late husband's 58th birthday.

7:00am UPDATE

NTSB officials are on their way to Buffalo right now from Washington, D.C. to investigate the crash. Officials with Continental Airlines just landed in Buffalo, they are here to help the families of the crash victims.


Continued...

[samanthajane13]

6:35am UPDATE

Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital released the following information regarding Continental Flight #3407, which crashed late Thursday night in Clarence Center, New York:

Two females, ages 57 and 22, were treated for non-life threatening injuries and have been released. They confirmed to hospital officials that they live at 6038 Long Street in Clarence Center, where the plane reportedly crashed. The two, a mother and daughter, were transported by ambulance to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital at approximately 11:35 p.m.
Two volunteer firefighters from the crash scene are also being treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries. They are expected to be treated and released later Friday morning.
Less than seven miles away, Millard Fillmore Suburban is the closest hospital to the crash site on Long Street in Clarence Center.
Hospitals officials early Friday morning also confirmed they are on standby in the event fire officials or any other patients need further evaluation.

6:10am UPDATE

CLARENCE, N.Y.- Federal investigators have been sent to Buffalo to look into the crash of a commuter plane into a house. The crash killed all 48 people on board, and one person on the ground, in the nation's first fatal commercial airliner crash in 2 1/2 years. Two people on the ground who escaped with minor injuries are being treated at a hospital, along with two volunteer firefighters. The task of retrieving remains from the wreckage hasn't yet begun. An emergency control official in Clarence says, "It's still a hot scene." The plane was coming in for a landing through light snow and fog. Witnesses say they heard the plane's engines sputtering, before it struck the house in a fiery explosion. The FBI says there's no indication of any "security-related event." Continental Connection Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, had been headed to Buffalo from Newark, N.J.

5:55am UPDATE

CLARENCE, N.Y.- Investigators are scrambling to the scene of last night's Continental commuter plane crash that killed 48 people onboard and another person on the ground. A spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration says her crews and a team from the National Transportation Safety Board expect to be in Clarence Center, N.Y., by daylight. The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft, operated by Colgan Air, was flying from New Jersey to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in light snow and fog. Colgan issued a statement saying it too was sending an accident response team and will try to assist the families of the victims.

5:30am UPDATE

STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSMAN CHRIS LEE:

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic accident that occurred last night in Clarence. Our focus right now is supporting the first responders on the ground, who have done heroic work in ensuring the health and safety of people in the area. My website is continually providing residents and concerned citizens with updated information, as well as the opportunity to leave messages for the families of the victims, first responders, and the members of the community.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families at this difficult hour.”

4:40am UPDATE

CLARENCE, N.Y.- A fire official says a commuter plane coming in for a landing at Buffalo Niagara International Airport "basically dove right into the top" of a house in a fiery explosion that killed all 48 people on board and one person on the ground. Representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board were expected in Buffalo at 6 a.m. Friday to investigate the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407. The plane plummeted into a house about five miles from the airport around 10:20 p.m. Thursday. The airplane operated by Colgan Air was flying from Newark Liberty International Airport. Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonette says it "dove" into the house, remarkably missing neighboring homes.


Continued...

[samanthajane13]

4:30am UPDATE

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. – Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital released the following information regarding Continental Flight #3407, which crashed late Thursday night in Clarence Center, New York:
Emergency department officials at the hospital are treating two females, a mother and daughter who live at 6038 Long Street, where the plane reportedly crashed. They were transported by ambulance to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital at approximately 11:35 p.m., with non-life threatening injuries.
Two volunteer firefighters from the crash scene are being treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries.
Less than seven miles away, Millard Fillmore Suburban is the closest hospital to the crash site.
Hospitals officials early Friday morning also confirmed they are on standby in the event fire officials or any other patients need further evaluation. Millard Fillmore Suburban recently underwent a $64 million expansion, which includes a new, state of the art decontamination room.
For families looking for information regarding the flight or its passengers, they are asked to call the Continental Airlines hotline, 1-800-621-3263. The Town of Clarence number is 716-741-8930.

3:15am UPDATE

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR DAVID A. PATERSON:

"Earlier tonight, Continental Airlines Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air Inc., crashed just miles outside of Buffalo Niagara International Airport after departing from Newark Liberty International Airport. The devastating crash took place at approximately 10:20 p.m. "Forty-four passengers were killed along with four crew members and at least one person on the ground, according to New York State Police. A team of emergency responders and aviation officials are still evaluating the situation and working to gather as much information as possible. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. "As we continue to monitor the situation in the Town of Clarence, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were on board, and with the people of the Buffalo metropolitan area. We will work closely with law enforcement and aviation officials to give families, loved ones and the public updated information as it becomes available. "Families and loved ones seeking information should call Continental Airlines' emergency information number at (800) 621-3263."

3:00am UPDATE

CLARENCE, N.Y. (AP) - Smoke is continuing to billow from the site where a Continental Connection commuter plane plummeted into a suburban home. The fire has been contained, but 12 homes have evacuated near the crash site in Clarence. It's about 10 miles from the airport. Erie County Executive Chris Collins describes the scene as "surreal," with the tail of the plane sticking out of the ground. He says the aircraft was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact. He said it hit only one home, which happened to be next to a firehouse, so rescuers arrived in seconds. A Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital spokesman says two women believed to be residents of the neighborhood are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

1:30am UPDATE

New York State Police confirm all 48 passengers and crew as well as one person on the ground died in the crash, bringing the death toll to at least 49 people.

1:05am UPDATE

New York state police say a 50-seat commuter plane has crashed into a home in Clarence Center. Fire officials say there were no survivors- the FAA says 48 passengers and crew were on the plane. State Trooper John Manthey says the plane hit a house in Clarence around 10:10 p.m. Thursday. Flames erupted from remnants of the house and aircraft as firefighters sought to control the blaze. Authorities say Continental Airlines Flight 3407 was operated by Manassas, VA based Colgan Air. It was en route from Newark, N.J. to Buffalo. The flight was originally scheduled to arrive in Buffalo around 8:45pm, but was delayed in Newark.

12:35am UPDATE

Eyewitness News crews are on the scene of a small plane crash reported at 6050 Long Street in Clarence Center, NY. The Continental Airlines Express flight from Newark crashed at approx 10:20pm. Officials say there are multiple fatalities from this incident. The Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operated by Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport.


http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39535247.html

[samanthajane13]

Springville man lucky to
be alive
Was supposed to be on Flight 3407

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 9:17 AM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 7:42 AM EST

Written by Aga Dembinska Posted by Emma Orn

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Springville man was supposed to be on Continental flight 3407 but did not board the flight because of a delay with a connecting flight.

Dave of Springville and three of his business associates were all booked on flight 3407. Dave is a frequent flyer and says his flight out of New Orleans was delayed and caused them to miss their connection in Newark. He spoke to his wife over the phone to tell her he’s ok.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Springv...alive_20090213

[samanthajane13]

Flight 3407 crew members
names released
Statement from Colgan Air

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 9:20 AM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 8:05 AM EST

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Information regarding Colgan Air Flight 3407

February 13, 2009

Continental Connection flight 3407, operating from Newark Liberty International Airport to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, was involved in an accident outside Buffalo Niagara Airport. This flight was operated by Colgan Air, Inc.

Preliminary information indicates that the flight carried 44 passengers and a crew of four. There was also an off-duty Colgan Airlines crew member aboard, bringing the number of individuals to 49. All on board perished in the accident.

"We are greatly saddened by this accident" said Philip H. Trenary, President & CEO of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., parent company of Colgan Air, Inc. "Our prayers are extended to the family and loved ones of those aboard flight 3407 and those affected on the ground. Please know that we will commit all needed resources to assist the NTSB’s investigation of this accident and work to ensure that a tragedy such as this does not occur again."

Following are the names of crew members on flight 3407:

Captain Marvin Renslow joined Colgan on September 9, 2005. Captain Renslow had flown 3,379 hours with Colgan Air.

First Officer Rebecca Shaw joined Colgan on January 16, 2008. Ms. Shaw had flown 2,244 hours with Colgan Air.

Flight Attendant Matilda Quintero joined Colgan on May 28, 2008.

Flight Attendant Donna Prisco joined Colgan on May 28, 2008.

Captain Joseph Zuffoletto, an off-duty crew member aboard flight 3407, joined Colgan on September 19, 2005.


Flight 3407 was operated using a Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. This aircraft was manufactured on April 12, 2008 and was placed into service by Colgan that month.

We have established a toll-free number for families and friends of those on flight 3407. That number is 800-621-3263. We ask that only family members and friends call this number.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Flight_...eleased_090213

[samanthajane13]

14 NTSB's on scene of
Flight 3407 crash
FBI need your help

Updated: Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 1:04 PM EST
Published : Friday, 13 Feb 2009, 1:01 PM EST

* Luke Moretti
* Posted by Emma Orn

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - Emergency workers have been trying to sort out what happened while keeping everyone informed.

Watch attached video for Luke Moretti's story from the Command Center in Clarence, New York. If you have heard or seen anything, you are asked to contact the FBI. Their number is 856-7800.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/14_NTSB...crash_20090213

[samanthajane13]

Fiery plane crash in upstate NY kills 50
By JOHN WAWROW, Associated Press Writer John Wawrow, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 6 mins ago



CLARENCE, N.Y. – A commuter plane dropped out of the sky without warning and nose-dived into a suburban Buffalo house in a fiery crash that killed all 49 people aboard and one person in the home. It was the nation's first deadly crash of a commercial airliner in 2 1/2 years.

The cause of the disaster was under investigation, but other pilots were overheard around the same time complaining of ice building up on their wings — a hazard that has caused major crashes in the past.

The twin turboprop aircraft — Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J. — was coming in for a landing when it went down in light snow and fog around 10:20 p.m. Thursday about five miles short of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Witnesses heard the plane sputtering before it plunged squarely through the roof of the house, its tail section visible through flames shooting at least 50 feet high.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile away. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."

Two others in the house escaped with minor injuries. The plane was carrying a four-member crew and an off-duty pilot. Among the 44 passengers killed was a woman whose husband died in the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Federal investigators found the black box recorders in the plane's tail that could shed light on what went wrong, but they said the smoldering debris was still too hot to remove bodies. The recorders were on their way to Washington for examination.

No mayday call came from the pilot before the crash, according to a recording of air traffic control's radio messages captured by the Web site LiveATC.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot showed concern that anything was out of the ordinary as the airplane was asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tried to contact the plane but heard no response. After a pause, he tried to contact the plane again.

Eventually he told an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area.

Erie County Emergency Coordinator David Bissonette said it appeared the plane "dove directly on top of the house."

"It was a direct hit," Bissonette said. "It's remarkable that it only took one house. As devastating as that is, it could have wiped out the entire neighborhood."

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft, also known as the Dash 8, in Thursday's disaster was operated by Colgan Air, based in Manassas, Va. Colgan's parent company, Pinnacle Airlines of Memphis, Tenn., said the plane was new and had a clean safety record.

The nearly vertical drop of the plane suggests a sudden loss of control, said William Voss, a former official of the Federal Aviation Administration and current president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Voss suggested that icing or a mechanical failure, such as wing flaps deploying asymmetrically or the two engines putting out different thrust, might have caused the crash, he said.

After the crash, at least two pilots were heard on air traffic control messages saying they had been picking up ice on their wings. "We've been getting ice since 20 miles south of the airport," one said.

Ice on the wings of a plane can alter aerodynamics and interfere with lift and handling. The danger is well known among pilots.

In general, smaller planes like the Dash 8, which uses a system of pneumatic de-icing boots, are more susceptible to icing problems than larger commuter planes that use a system to warm the wings. The boots, a rubber membrane stretched over the surface, are filled with compressed air to crack any ice that builds up.

A similar turboprop jet crash 15 years ago in Indiana was caused by icing, and after that the NTSB issued icing recommendations to more aggressively use the plane's system of pneumatic de-icing boots. But the FAA hasn't adopted it. It remains part of the NTSB's most-wanted safety improvements list.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team of investigators to Buffalo. The Department of Homeland Security said there was no indication of terrorism.

While residents of the neighborhood were used to planes rumbling overhead, witnesses said it sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made odd noises.

David Luce said he and his wife were working on their computers when they heard the plane come in low. "It didn't sound normal," he said. "We heard it for a few seconds, then it stopped, then a couple of seconds later was this tremendous explosion."

Dworak drove to the site, and "all we were seeing was 50- to 100-foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."

One person in the home was killed, and two others inside, Karen Wielinski, 57, and her 22-year-old daughter, Jill, escaped with minor injuries.

The plane was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact, Erie County Executive Chris Collins said.

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since Aug. 27, 2006, when 49 people were killed after a Comair jetliner mistakenly took off from a Lexington, Ky., runway that was too short.

About 30 relatives and others who arrived at the Buffalo airport overnight were escorted into a private area and then taken by bus to a senior citizens center in the neighboring town of Cheektowaga, where counselors and representatives from Continental waited to help.

The 9/11 widow on board was identified as Beverly Eckert. She was heading to Buffalo for a celebration of what would have been her husband's 58th birthday, said Mary Fetchet, a 9/11 family activist.

Clarence is a growing eastern suburb of Buffalo, largely residential but with rural stretches. The crash site is on a street of older, single-family homes about 20 to 25 feet apart that back up to a wooded area.

The crash came less than a month after a US Airways pilot guided his crippled plane to a landing in the Hudson River in New York City, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard. Birds had apparently disabled both its engines.

On Dec. 20, a Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at the Denver airport, injuring 38 people.

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, Linda Franklin in Dallas, Daniel Yee in Atlanta, Ron Powers in Washington, and Cristian Salazar and Jennifer Peltz in New York.

___

Continental said relatives and friends of those on Flight 3407 who want to give or receive information about those on board can call a special family assistance number, 1-800-621-3263.

___

On the Net:

Audio of air traffic control: http://sn.im/bt1z3


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/...lane_into_home

[samanthajane13]

Two Mangione band members among crash victims

Two members of Chuck Mangione's band, Gerry Niewood and Coleman Mellett, were among the passengers killed on Flight 3407, Publicist Sanford Brokaw said today.

They were en route to Buffalo for tonight's performance with the Buffalo Philharmonic, which has been postponed.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Mangione said: "I'm in shock over the horrible, heartbreaking tragedy."

BPO spokesman Mike Lazzaro said a new date for the concert would be announced at a later date.

http://www.buffalonews.com/515/story/578570.html

[samanthajane13]

Similar planes suffered landing gear problems in 2007
By Phil Fairbanks
News Staff Reporter

Built in nearby Toronto, the type of twin-engine commuter plane that crashed in Clarence Center Thursday night killing 50 people has been in the headlines before.

The plane — a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 turboprop — attracted attention in 2007 when three separate accidents were linked to the aircraft's landing gear problems.

The accidents prompted Scandinavian Airlines, one of its biggest customers, to permanently ground its Bombardier Q400 turboprops.

"Confidence in the Q400 has diminished considerably and our customers are becoming increasingly doubtful about flying in this type of aircraft," Scandanavian Airline Chief Executive Mats Jansson said at the time.

The company grounded the planes, which tend to be used for shorter flights, after the landing gear on one of its Q400s collapsed as the plane touched down in Denmark and caught fire.

Five of the 73 passengers aboard were injured.

A few days later, another Scandinavian Q400 crashed when its right-side landing gear collapsed while landing in Lithuania. No one was hurt in that accident.

And a few weeks after that accident, an Italy-bound Q400 came to rest on its nose while landing in Munich. The front wheels had failed to deploy. Again, no one was seriously injured.

Both Bombadier and the Goodrich Corp., the U.S. company that made the landing gear, rejected claims that the three accidents were indicative of a larger problem with its aircraft.

"Bombadier and Goodrich have completed a full review of the Q400 landing gear systems and the results have confirmed its safe design and operational integrity," company spokesman John R. Arnone said in a statement.

Colgan Air, owner of the plane that crashed and a feeder airline for Continental, uses 15 Q400s, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

Records also indicate the plane that crashed was about a year old.

Federal investigators already are at the accident scene as part of their search for a cause to the deadliest U.S. air tragedy in more than two years.


http://www.buffalonews.com/515/story/578490.html

[samanthajane13]

After the crash, tower warned other planes to watch for icing
By Phil Fairbanks
News Staff Reporter

Just minutes after Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed, air traffic controllers began quizzing other pilots about the icy conditions over Buffalo.

A recording of those conversations Thursday night suggests ice may be one of the suspected causes of the nation's deadliest air crash in more than two years.

"Delta 1998, you getting any icing where you're at?" a Buffalo air traffic controller asked just minutes after Continental's 74-seat aircraft went down, killing 49 people.

"We picked it up on the way down," the pilot reponds. "I don't think it's building any more here but about 6,500 (feet) down to 3,500 (feet) maybe."

Over the next several minutes later, several other pilots chime in.

"We're picking up rime ice here," one pilot tells the tower at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

"We've been picking up rime ice for the last 10 minutes or so," adds another pilot heading into Buffalo.

The tape — released by the Web site www.liveatc.net — clearly indicates when pilots became aware of the crash of the Q400 Bombardier flying from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

At the time, conditions at the airport in Cheektowaga included light snow, fog and 17 mph winds.

"It doesn't appear to be building," one pilot answers when asked about the ice. "We've got about a half inch, about a quarter inch of ice from the descent."

Again, there's a long pause before the air traffic controller confirms for pilots that the Continental plane has crashed.

"We did have a Dash 8 over the marker that didn't make the airport," he tells the pilots. "He appears to be about 5 miles away from the airport."

Prior to the crash, the voice of a female pilot on Flight 3407 can be heard communicating with air traffic controllers, and neither the pilot nor the controller sounds upset.

Shortly after the pilot is asked to fly at 2,300 feet, the controller tries to contact the plane again.

"Colgan 3407 approach?" the tower asks.

When the pilot fails to respond, the controller tries again.

"Colgan 3407 Buffalo?" the controller asks.

Again, no response.

"Colgan 3407," she says a third time.

Still, no response.

At that point, another controller asks the pilot of a nearby Delta Air Lines plane if he can see the Continental plane.

"Delta 1998, look off your right side about 5 miles for a Dash 8. Should be about 2,300 (feet). Do you see anything there?" the tower asks.

"Uh, negative," the Delta pilot answers.

Several minutes pass before the tower makes one final plea: "Colgan 3407, how do you hear?"

Again, no answer.

At that point, the tower suggests that local police be asked to search the area where the plane went down.

"We need to find out if anything is on the ground," the controller says. "The aircraft was five miles out and all of sudden there's no response from the aircraft."

pfairbanks@buffnews.com


http://www.buffalonews.com/515/story/578112.html