[cyphergirl]

I heard just a little while ago that it was either a Piper Seneca or Sarratoga .. neither of which is a "small" plane. They seat 6 people. I'm hearing on MSNBC that the people from the ground said the plane was on fire when it hit, and the pilot radioed the tower with engine and landing gear problems.

So.... a) why didn't he glide away from the building -- my husband had to glide for more than 20 minutes in a Cessna 172 when going for his pilot's license.

b) anyone care to calculate the statistical probability that a plane will have engine trouble, catch fire, and then fly squarely into the top 5 or so floors of one of the most important buildings in Milan?

[cyphergirl]

Ok.. scratch that. They just reported that the plane was a Rockwell AeroCommander -- a twin engine, 10 seats onboard.

That ain't no small plane!

[callisto]

"the pilot radioed the tower with engine and landing gear problems"

Tallest building
Financial district
Straight on hit into a high floor

Well this guy should have played the lottery. Each new newsbyte adds another incredible probability to the idea that this was not an accident. Some luck.