Plane Crashes in Buffalo, N.Y. - 50 Dead

by Mary Richard | February 13, 2009 at 04:37 am

7414 views | 133 Recommendations | 42 comments

BUFFALO - A small passenger plane with as many as 50 passengers on board has crashed into a home near Buffalo, New York. CNN is announcing they it was Continental flight 3407 traveling from Newark to Buffalo, scheduled to arrive at 8:48 but delayed by two hours.

CNN Link to story.

It was just after 10:20 p.m. when the plane, believed to be heading towards the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, crashed into the home on Long Street in Clarence Centre, a small community just northeast of Buffalo, neighbours said.

Neighbours said the plane - which appeared to be a small propeller plane - came in loudly and lower than normal, before it hit the house with a loud bang.

"This one you knew definitely was very low, and then it was 'boom,' like thunder. Very scary," said a woman, Norma, who lives across from the home the plane hit.

A woman and her daughter said to be living in the home made it out uninjured and were at a neighbour's house. A man also lived at the house, but it wasn't clear whether he was hurt or not.

Sources said 10 people were hurt, but it wasn't immediately clear if anyone died.

People have been evacuated to a nearby hall. Family of passengers are being asked to call 1-800-621-3263.

Plane crash also being reported here.

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News Conference 1:00 a.m.:

It's been confirmed that there were 44 passengers and 4 crew members on board and feared dead. One fatality and two residents of the home which was severely damaged were taken to hospital. Twelve homes have been evacuated, and the scene is very hot and the aircraft is still burning. The weather was about 33 degrees with a mix of rain/snow.

1:26 am:

It's now been confirmed that all 48 people on the plane have perished, plus 1 fatality on the ground.

February 13th, 9:00 am:

The death count has been updated to 50 as Continental announced that an off-duty pilot was also on board. Identities of victims will not be released until all families have been notified. Emergency personnel are still battling a hot-spot and natural gas leak, before they can get to the remains. The cause of the crash is still unknown, although experts are talking about rime icing, a condition in which ice quickly builds up on the edge of the wings.

February 13th, 4:00 pm News Conference:

Hot-spots on crash site have now been knocked down, the authorities are now working to recover the remains of the victims with the assistance of the Red Cross. The sound recorder notes crew discussing significant ice buildup on the windshield and the leading edge of the wings. Gear down was one minute before end of the recording - NTSB estimate that it crashed at 2000 feet. The sound recorder notes severe "pitch and roll." Anyone with any information on the crash scene is asked to call 716-856-7800.

Daylight reveals plane crash damage.

13 See all footage | View Slideshow

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Rachel Nixon

flagged this story as Breaking

at 21:13 on February 12th, 2009

Blue Crush, thanks for getting this story out so quickly. It will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, I'll renew this flag for another cycle.

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Rachel Nixon

at 21:19 on February 12th, 2009

Many thanks for posting Blue Crush. I'm seeing various reports: one that says at least two people were taken to hospital with minor injuries, while another claims 49 people were killed. It seems like a very confused situation so far. I'd urge you and others to post any other information that you find on this story. Thanks again.

Sanjay Jha

at 21:27 on February 12th, 2009

Local Media is reporting that 49 people have been Killed.

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.

Rachel Nixon

at 21:34 on February 12th, 2009

Politisite has also posted on this story. The number for Continental information is: 1-800-621-3263.

Mary Richard

at 21:37 on February 12th, 2009

CNN via Skype have confirmed that there were 44 passengers and 4 crew, of which they do not yet know the fate. Family of passengers can call 1-800-621-3263.

Rachel Nixon

at 21:42 on February 12th, 2009

KeithBurtis on Twitter is reporting regular live updates from Buffalo.

Albert Milliron

at 21:58 on February 12th, 2009

Great work. You have beat most of the MSM on this. Hope you can continue with updates as I have pressing issues.

Barry ORegan

at 21:50 on February 12th, 2009

tragic

Rachel Nixon

at 22:05 on February 12th, 2009

A Buffalo plane crash channel with further resources can be found here.

rumana husain

at 22:17 on February 12th, 2009

this is so tragic.

Amy Judd

at 22:36 on February 12th, 2009

I'm watching it right now - this is the worse US plane crash since 2006 - how awful.

hannah reinert (not verified)

at 17:29 on February 13th, 2009

9-11 is still much worse, but this is still a devastating crash...

Fripouille

at 22:48 on February 12th, 2009

What a horrible tragedy.

Laughing-Samurai (not verified)

at 00:58 on February 13th, 2009

Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 Turboprop Regional Airliner, Canada

Dimensions
Length:32.8m
Wingspan:28.42m
Wing Area:63.1m²
Height:8.36m
Maximum Fuselage Diameter
2.69m:Cabin Length, Excluding Cockpit;18.8m
Maximum Cabin Width:2.51m

Photo

Laughing-Samurai (not verified)

at 01:06 on February 13th, 2009

News conference starting on plane crash.

Two block area is off limits, fire still burning and too hot to start investigations.

They don't want sight seers! They have the manifest but won't release names until the families have been notified.

Buffalowatchdog

at 04:54 on February 13th, 2009

anyone needs a live cut-in, I'm here at command center and have some time 716-430-6102.

Live feed for 9am press conference is up on www.WNYMedia.net. Twitter updates @wnymedia

danesller0127

at 04:54 on February 13th, 2009

Thanks! for the news Blue Crush'

"Witnesses heard the twin turboprop aircraft sputtering before it went down in light snow and fog around 10:20 p.m. Thursday about five miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport." (source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/ap_on_re_us/plane_into_home) :D

Rhonda J Mangus

at 05:46 on February 13th, 2009

Thank you very much for this story, Blue Crush --

Rhonda J Mangus

at 06:01 on February 13th, 2009

CBS News reports the widow of a man who died in the September 11th attack was on board Flight 3407. The video I uploaded contains the conversation between the control tower and the pilot of #3407 before the crash. If I have repeated any information already posted here, I apologize.

Fripouille

at 07:42 on February 13th, 2009

Rhonda, I just read on CNN, quoting a WGRZ-TV report, the following. (Sorry, I don't know how to highlight, so just to say that these are not my words, but CNN's). She was to attend a school scolarship presentation, which was to take place in honour of her husband.

"Knight (the school's President) said he couldn't confirm Eckert's (the 9/11 victim's widow) presence on the plane. However, he said, the school postponed a scholarship presentation that had been planned for Friday".

How awful it would be if this were true...

Rhonda J Mangus

at 10:32 on February 13th, 2009

Thank you, Fripouille. Apparently it is the case that Mrs. Eckert was on the plane. Local news WKBW reports it, here. Updates are available as well at the link to CBS News.

I'll include it:

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.”

Jordan Yerman

at 06:41 on February 13th, 2009

Thanks very much, everyone, for continuing to contribute to this story. I'm bringing it current and adding pertinent search terms from this thread to the story itself.

Jordan Yerman

at 07:03 on February 13th, 2009

Investigators are on the scene trying to determine that cause of the crash.

Mary Richard

at 07:37 on February 13th, 2009

This brings to mind the Arrow crash in Gander, Nfld. in which 256 people were killed, almost all US servicemen going home for Christmas. The "official" cause of the crash was ice on the wings, but there was a lot of controversy over it.

158

at 07:32 on February 13th, 2009

tragic.

Mary Richard

at 08:05 on February 13th, 2009

The flight data and cockpit voice recorders have now been recovered, and are on their way to Washington, according to CNN. They were located in the tail of the plane, the only thing left intact after the crash.

Rachel Nixon

at 08:32 on February 13th, 2009

Many thanks for continuing to update this tragic story, Blue Crush. Thanks also to others for adding information.

Rachel Nixon

at 09:29 on February 13th, 2009

New York Governor David Paterson has just been speaking. He said it was "a tragic day in the history of New York". He paid tribute to the compassion of and coordination between government agencies.

JeffHuang

at 09:32 on February 13th, 2009

Thanks for posting this and keeping us updated Blue Crush. Very tragic.

fas (not verified)

at 09:40 on February 13th, 2009

This is very sad, the toll is quite high. May the departed rest in peace.

Mary Richard

at 05:19 on February 14th, 2009

Thanks all, for your comments and input on this tragic news event. Twitter user Keith Burtis has set up a Victim's Relief Fund to help the families affected by the crash. Most of us know how expensive even a funeral is in this day and time, and if any of us can help in any small way, we should.

CNN iReporter Will Charland has taken a graphic video of this tragedy, before the firetrucks arrived, which I cannot locate - would appreciate it if someone could find and link it.

Our prayers go out to all family involved.