Free Republic

Two commercial aircraft were ordered to abort landings at Reagan National Airport on Thursday after a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter entered airspace near the runway while en route to the Pentagon. Delta Air Lines Flight 1671, arriving from Orlando, and Republic Airways Flight 5825, arriving from Boston, were both directed to perform go-arounds by air traffic control at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time. “A UH-60 Blackhawk was directed by Pentagon Air Traffic Control to conduct a ‘go-around,’ overflying the Pentagon helipad in accordance with approved flight procedures,” said US Army spokesperson Capt. Victoria Goldfedib in a statement. ”As a...

Oklahoma family among dead; homeowners escape burning house By Tony Plohetski AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Wednesday, August 4, 2004 A private plane carrying six people, including an Oklahoma couple and their two young children, crashed into a home in western Travis County shortly after takeoff Tuesday, triggering a fiery explosion and killing all on board. No one on the ground was injured. The home's owners, Laurence and Jacqueline Elliott, and a dishwasher repair worker were inside and quickly escaped after the twin-engine plane struck the back of the house and disintegrated. Ellen Roberts, a neighbor and friend of the Elliotts', said the...

<p>New Jersey Go. Jim McGee Tuesday signed into law a tough new public safety measure that would impose jail time and stiff fines on drivers who cause fatal accidents by falling asleep behind the wheel.</p> <p>Known as "Maggie's Law" and described as the first legislation of its kind in the United States, the measure allows prosecutors to charge sleep-deprived drivers with vehicular homicide. The charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine.</p>