Thursday, February 18, 2010

Single Engine Plane Crashed Into Federal Building Housing IRS Offices In Austin

(Photo: Fox 4 News, Dallas-Fort Worth News)

Major media outlets report: suicidedal pilot crashes own plane into federal building housing IRS offices, after setting his home on fire

By H. Nelson Goodson
February 18, 2010

Austin, Texas -Police reported that a pilot had crashed in Austin at about 10 a.m. CST (11 a.m. EST). CNN also reported the man had set his house on fire, and then after posting a suicide note on his website, crashed his small plane into a seven story building housing several federal government offices. Investigators at the scene have said, the man did not have or had filed a flight plan. Federal authorities and the FAA identified the pilot of the Piper Cherokee PA-28 as Joseph Andrew Stack, 53, according to CNN. Stack was flying following the FAA rules of not requiring pilots to keep in contact with tower controllers.
Stack began his flight early Thursday morning, and apparently had targeted the IRS offices in Austin. The small single engine plane hit the Echelon office building North of Austin where the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has more than 190 employees working, one person in the building is unaccounted for and believed dead. Several people are reported injured and taken to the University Medical Center Brackenridge.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said, "it was an intentional act and some IRS employees were targeted." The scene had been contained and Chief Acevedo assured the plane crash was not a terrorist attack, but a deceased suspect who was disgruntled with the IRS, according to the preliminary investigation results.
Reuters reported that Special Agent Michael Lemoines of the Treasury Department confirmed the building housed several divisions of the Internal Revenue Service, including the criminal investigation division, auditors and tax collectors.
Federal Investigators continue their investigation to determine what led to Stack's decision to end his life by crashing his plane into the building. 

CNN posted a copy of Stack's six page (PDF) manifesto: http://bit.ly/bsZODf

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