Orlando’s Sports Leader – 740 The Team – Orlando, FL

An American Airlines Airbus A-300 crashed in the borough of Queens, New
York. The flight was bound for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Reports
says the plane crashed just minutes after is took off at 9:15am ET from
John F. Kennedy International Airport. There were 246 passengers and 9 crew
members onboard. Over 100 bodies have been recovered from the crash site.

New York governor George Pataki says grief counseling centers have opened
for people affected by the crash.

Giuliani says 12 homes were hit by parts of the plane. Four were destroyed.
A major portion of one airplane engine landed at a gas station.

The National Transportation Safety Board is launching a “major”
investigation into the crash of the American Airlines flight.

NTSB Chairwoman Marion Blakey says the flight data recorder has already been
recovered and is on its way to Washington D.C. She says wreckage is spread
over a wide area. Some has been recovered in Jamaica Bay by the Coast
Guard. Blakey says no unusual communications were sent from the cockpit to
area flight controllers. Governor Pataki says the pilot dumped some fuel
shortly before the crash, indicating that he was aware of major mechanical
malfunction.

The FBI and NTSB are looking into reports there was an explosion onboard the
plane. Some witness reports indicate there was an explosion on the right
side of the plane just previous to the plane crashing. Other witnesses say
the fire was on the left side of the plane. Officials are looking into the
possibility the crash was caused by mechanical failure or sabotage.

Mayor Giuliani says most witnesses report that the plane split apart and
then exploded when it hit the ground. He says he doesn’t know of any
survivors from the airplane. 16 additional people are reported injured on
the ground. There conditions aren’t known.

Firefighters rushed to the crash site where several homes were on fire. All
of the fires have since been put out.

All three major airports in the area, JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports
have been closed in response to the crash. Earlier all major tunnels and
bridges in and out of New York city were closed. Those have since been
reopened. The FAA has also shut down the airspace surrounding the New York
city metropolitan area.

There have been no indication as of yet, to point to terrorism. The
Pentagon says there were no reports of “trouble” from the plane. Some
witness reports indicate there was an explosion on the right side of the
plane just previous to the plane crashing. Other witnesses say the fire was
on the left side of the plane.

American Airlines CEO Donald Carty says his “thoughts and prayers are with
the passengers and employees” of flight 587. Carty calls this an
“incredibly sad day” in an address the press early this afternoon.

In response to news of the plane crash, the United Nations building in New
York has instituted a partial lockdown. No one can get in or out of the
building, and no vehicles are being allowed near.

American Airlines has set up a number for concerned families of passengers
who may have been onboard – 1-800-245-0999.

Photo Copyright Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

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