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Pilot Reports 'Missile' Fired at Jetliner Near LAX (11/28/05) (Media finally reports)
NewsRadio 1060 Philadelphia ^ | December 2, 2005

Posted on 12/02/2005 1:28:17 PM PST by Babu

FBI agents and Homeland Security officials spent the weekend investigating the report of a possible missile fired at an American Airlines plane taking off from Los Angeles International Airport.

Sources tell ABC News the pilot of American Airlines Flight 621, en route to Chicago, radioed air traffic controllers after takeoff from LAX. He told them a missile had been fired at the aircraft and missed.

The plane was over water when the pilot said he saw a smoke trail pass by the cockpit.

FBI agents believe it was a flare or a bottle rocket, but say they may never know if that's what it actually was.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aa; airlinesecurity; airtravel; bottlerocket; flight621; lax; missile
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To: Drago
And this is from AA's website.

SNA...John Wayne...is REALLY close to home...I know RIGHT where that place is at. :)

81 posted on 12/02/2005 4:34:06 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (HiJinx! How old ARE you?)
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To: Babu
FBI agents believe it was a flare or a bottle rocket, but say they may never know if that's what it actually was.

Ahhhh...they must be from the FBI Brain Trust. Sheesh.

82 posted on 12/02/2005 4:35:02 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (This is my tagline. There are many like it but this one is mine.)
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To: Drago
Stop!

Sheesh! I must have dyslexia...or you do....YIKES! I'm sorry if it was me...!!!!

83 posted on 12/02/2005 4:35:38 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (HiJinx! How old ARE you?)
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To: Drago
Um. My fault. 621. 612. You know....BUT! I honestly DO know where SNA is! :)
84 posted on 12/02/2005 4:37:05 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (HiJinx! How old ARE you?)
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To: USMCPOP

>> ...the motors aren't sold in hobby shops.

Aren't those the ones that require you to have some kind of Federal cert just to buy them?


85 posted on 12/02/2005 4:37:57 PM PST by HKMk23 (FOR SALE: French Army standard issue infantry rifles. Dropped once. Never fired.)
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To: yldstrk
...load of steaming caca.

Yep. That's what I thought of it.


86 posted on 12/02/2005 4:40:45 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (This is my tagline. There are many like it but this one is mine.)
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To: Brad's Gramma

OK...
but maybe the reporter is dyslexic...Flight 612 goes LAX-ORD...Flight 621 goes MSP-DFW-SNA.


87 posted on 12/02/2005 4:40:59 PM PST by Drago
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To: Drago

Oh heck. Let's get everyone confused while we're at it, and look up 162! 126!!

Just kidding!

You've got FRmail, btw...


88 posted on 12/02/2005 4:42:10 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (HiJinx! How old ARE you?)
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To: Babu

"FBI agents believe it was a flare or a bottle rocket, but say they may never know if that's what it actually was."

Like the OU student who was careful to blow himself up with explosives far from where anyone could be hurt? (sarcasm)


89 posted on 12/02/2005 5:12:43 PM PST by WoofDog123
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To: Babu
Yep, those darn bottle rockets!


90 posted on 12/02/2005 5:14:52 PM PST by operation clinton cleanup
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To: Babu
Feds probe SAM fired at airliner report

Just thought I would continue pushing the suspense on this incident.

91 posted on 12/02/2005 6:10:59 PM PST by runningbear (Lurkers beware, Freeping is public opinions based on facts, theories, and news online.......)
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To: Jigsaw John

6000' from LAX is accomplished very quickly. Many flights are 1500 -3000 by the coastline there. 6000 in a couple miles is doable.


92 posted on 12/02/2005 6:25:22 PM PST by Darbyflier
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To: Jigsaw John

John, that 747 was much heavier than a 737-800 or MD-80 heading to ORD. That KLM 747 was full, and going to Amsterdam, a 5000 mile flight. Although the 747 would produce a lot more thrust than the smaller aircraft, you have to remember it's probably four times as heavy :-)

I'll say it once and I'll say it again, nothing ruins a picnic at the beach like parts of engine falling next to you.


93 posted on 12/02/2005 7:29:46 PM PST by jcs1744
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To: Babu

I saw the contrail. It was no bottle rocket.


94 posted on 12/02/2005 7:47:59 PM PST by Dawggie
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To: Dawggie
I saw the contrail. It was no bottle rocket.

Curious -- where were you when you saw it -- on the ground? on the water in a boat? in the plane? ... ?

95 posted on 12/02/2005 9:05:25 PM PST by Babu
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To: Flyer

*Geometry is not my strong point, but that would be a hell of a steep climb angle, wouldn't it?*

They do climb steeply, but besides that, they lift off waaayyy before the end of the runway, which depending on the runway used, can be over a mile from the beach. So you may well have a plane that has been climbing for over a mile and a half (~7000') before the coast, and another 1/2 mile out is still climbing. For an example, the geometry says at a 30° climb angle, at that distance the plane would be about 5,000'(~10,000 ground track). I gather the steep climb is most effficent in fuel consumption, the big bugaboo of the airlines.....


96 posted on 12/03/2005 12:04:12 PM PST by doorgunner69
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To: Jigsaw John

One time I rode on a dive boat out to Catalina. We had some intense Santa Ana's blowing. By the time it was time to return to San Pedro, the seas had really picked up quite a bit. We had to tack in order to avoid having scuba tanks come loose from their hold downs (and, um, other problems ;). Even so, it was pretty hairy. That time if not 20 footers it was darn close to it.

Of course that was a 100 foot boat. It gets a lot more hairy in something like a 30 foot sloop or a fishing boat of that size or smaller ... then you are literally surfing. Better hope whoever is at the tiller has a feel for that sort of thing! :-)


97 posted on 12/05/2005 6:08:01 PM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: GOP_1900AD

I couldn't agree more. Having been out there numerous times, I have developed a great respect for the waters out there. I remember when some guy did the surfboard thing from LB to Catalina. Crazy!


98 posted on 12/05/2005 6:14:33 PM PST by Jigsaw John
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