Cirrus crash in Austin TX

[disamuel]

I just heard on CNN that there has been a crash of a Cirrus SR22 into an office building in Austin Texas. The reported stated that the pilot had set his house on fire, stole the plane and crashed it into the office building. Seems hard to believe but that is what CNN is reporting.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/02/plane-crashes-into-northwest-austin-office-building-when-asked-if-the-plane-seemed-to-be-out-of-cont.html

More details here

[disamuel]

CNN has changed the report in that the plane was not stolen, but the pilot was the owner. Also two F-16s were scrambled to intercept.

[AirAux]

Sounds like a dissatisfied tax customer.  Perhaps the IRS could change it's demeanor a slight amount to attempt to assist people during these trying economic times??  This is wrong in so many ways, but I do understand the frustration involved..

[Flying Pig]

CA Air Guard just launched several fully loaded F-16's.  They were about 20 minutes behind the power curve.  Pretty bad when your military buddies are getting their intel via cell phone from their friend sitting at home watching the news.

[JayT]

Sounds like a dissatisfied tax customer.  Perhaps the IRS could change it's demeanor a slight amount to attempt to assist people during these trying economic times??  This is wrong in so many ways, but I do understand the frustration involved..

Good to know that acts of domestic terror can be justified!

[AirAux]

There is no justification for this, only empathy that anyone would be driven to take their own life, and the lives of others, in a sense of frustration due to a system that repeatedly has been shown to act like jack booted thugs in some cases.. (and I didn't make that definition up)..

[SilverEagle2]

Was not a Cirrus. Plane parts burning in the videos are from a Piper product.

[disamuel]

Here is a link to the pilot's suicide note. He had issues with the IRS.

http://embeddedart.com/

[vmstan]

There is no justification for this, only empathy that anyone would be driven to take their own life, and the lives of others, in a sense of frustration due to a system that repeatedly has been shown to act like jack booted thugs in some cases.. (and I didn't make that definition up)..

No, there is no justification or empathy for anyone stupid enough to take their own life while taking the lives of others. If he wanted to kill himself, fine, but seeing any pity for what amounts to an anti-government, murdering, domestic terrorist is disgusting.

You can dislike paying taxes all you want, but advocating or excusing violence is shameful.

[davidsinn]

You can dislike paying taxes all you want, but advocating or excusing violence is shameful.

I'm so glad the boys in Boston and Philly ignored that advice back in the 18th century...

[AirAux]

Thank you David.

[N Harmon]

I'm afraid what this might do to general aviation.

[AirAux]

Probably no more than the Oklahoma City bombing did to truck rentals.  I doubt if it will do anything.  It appeared this guy owned the A/C so it would be hard to imagine new governmental controls that would make much difference in this scenario.  He was already breaking a whole bunch of FAR's..  The terrorist have already shown that if an individual is willing to die for the cause, it is almost impossible to stop..

[vmstan]

You can dislike paying taxes all you want, but advocating or excusing violence is shameful.

I'm so glad the boys in Boston and Philly ignored that advice back in the 18th century...

Thank you David.

OK, so I would assume you were OK with the actions of Timothy McVeigh, Nidal Malik Hasan (Ft Hood Shooter) and all the others who have used anti-government violence against the innocent. That's pretty much what this guy here is doing... and with a plane, no less.

I would seriously hope that your views are not reflective of the rest of CAP, because if they are I am seriously in the wrong group of people.

[heliodoc]

^^

How so?

I am sure GA will survive just fine....just get more expensive as years, IRS rules, and lawyers get further into the mix

[AirAux]

Michael, you are stretching a little there aren't you?  Being unhappy with the tactics of the IRS and noting sympathy/sorrow for one that felt so frustrated that they couldn't see any other solution is hardly jumping in bed with Timothy McVeigh and Nidal Hasan is it??  I don't see this person's solution as an attempt at civil overthrow, just his reaching his limits in dealing with a system that can appear heartless...  A little compassion and love among everybody would certainly help in almost all situations.  I have seen people in his situation and I wouldn't wish it on anybody.  Perhaps someone to talk to would have helped prevent this.   I know being placed on hold with a governmental agency for 2-3 hours at a time sure isn't good for mental health..  You might also rethink your statement about my views and being in with the wrong group of people.  If you don't have some compassion for others, you are in with the wrong group of people.  I have met very few CAP members in my years of experience that weren't compassionate, good citizens that would almost always give you the shirt off of their back if you needed it..  You'll not find a better group anywhere than here.  The likes of our fellow members stood up at Valley Forge and will always stand against injustice and tyranny..

[vmstan]

I'm a very compassionate person, hence my desire to join CAP to serve others... however I have no compassion for anyone who would fly a plane into a building and take innocent lives. I would have been more than happy to help this guy find a way out, prior to doing this, as it is obvious he would have needed it. But seeking to justify his actions as 'patriotic' or akin to what happened during the American revolution because it was against the IRS or provide any "understanding" because his actions were taken against them is what disgusts me.

The fact of the matter is there are people missing right now, who quite possibly are dead. I feel no sorrow for those who would take their life.

[Johnny Yuma]

You can dislike paying taxes all you want, but advocating or excusing violence is shameful.

I'm so glad the boys in Boston and Philly ignored that advice back in the 18th century...

Thank you David.

OK, so I would assume you were OK with the actions of Timothy McVeigh, Nidal Malik Hasan (Ft Hood Shooter) and all the others who have used anti-government violence against the innocent. That's pretty much what this guy here is doing... and with a plane, no less.

I would seriously hope that your views are not reflective of the rest of CAP, because if they are I am seriously in the wrong group of people.

Respectfully,

McVeigh was trying to start a race war. Hasan was preaching radical Islam the only way radical Islamists know. When those 2 get audited by the IRS let me know.

While the actions of all three are as wrong as they can get, it's a little hard to feel any empathy for a federal agency who will bankrupt people indiscriminately and has been used as a tool of intimidation by Washington bigshots.

We also haven't even gotten to the fact that the head of the Treasury,along with a number of other political appointees, not only owed far more than this guy but cheated the .gov out of their share of taxes.

[vmstan]

OK, so it's fine to fly a plane into one of their buildings. I understand now. Not like there would be non-IRS people there or anything. Just a bunch of evil agents.

Last time I checked, IRS agents were Americans too.

I can think of a lot of people, agencies, companies, organizations that I would like nothing more to rid the planet of. But I don't hop in a plane and go fly into them.