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

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

7413 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.

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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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Rhonda J Mangus

at 10:37 on February 13th, 2009

Blue Crush, perhaps you can locate it, here.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 10:41 on February 13th, 2009

Here it is: Crash Inferno Lights Up Night, here.

Mary Richard

at 10:57 on February 13th, 2009

Thanks, Rhonda! There's getting to be so many now, and I wanted to point out one of the better ones.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 11:05 on February 13th, 2009

You are very welcome, Blue Crush! I am glad that I could contribute to this story. It is heartbreaking, really.

Makin (not verified)

at 14:15 on February 13th, 2009

wow that was scary thats why i don't recommend using a plane

A. Tran

at 20:10 on February 13th, 2009

Thanks Blue Crush for your quick reporting - very tragic. Apparently, the authority has begun to remove the remains.

A side point: There were two grateful persons who had missed taking that ill-fated flight to Buffalo...

billwilson2002

at 01:22 on February 14th, 2009

Good article. I dont live to far from the scene

Pat Garcia

at 14:15 on February 14th, 2009

This is really tragic and sad.

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 15:01 on February 14th, 2009

Rwanda genocide expert amongst victims

BBC

freeoguy

at 11:20 on February 15th, 2009

why the plane was on auto pilot when he crashed?

Fripouille

at 13:33 on February 15th, 2009

"On auto pilot"? That's very surprising. Unless you mean he was using and/or following landing guidance systems, which is normal in many cases. Could you link us to that information please freeoguy?

Mary Richard

at 16:04 on February 15th, 2009

Here's the latest in the news on this, but I remember an expert on CNN explaining about disengaging the auto-pilot every five minutes in this kind of weather. Maybe someone can explain this?