On Thursday morning at approximately 10a.m. EST a Piper Cherokee PA-28 airplane was deliberately crashed into a building in Austin, Texas. Officials say the pilot crashed the plane into the building after starting his home on fire and stealing the plane.
Officials have said that they believe the Piper Cherokee PA-28 belonged to Joseph Andrew Stack. As a precaution, two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Houston, Texas, however, federal authorities said preliminary information did not indicate any terrorist connection to the crash.
"We do not yet know the cause of the plane crash," the Department of Homeland Security said in a release. "At this time, we have no reason to believe there is a nexus to terrorist activity. We continue to gather more information, and are aware there is additional information about the pilot’s history.
"At this time, we are referring further questions to local authorities and the FAA."
As a result of the crash, two people were transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge. University Medial Center Brackenridge is the only Level 1 trauma center for adults in Austin, Texas.
Witnesses described a crash that shook nearby buildings and sent fire and smoke bellowing into the sky.
Firefighters used two ladder trucks and other equipment to hose down the blaze at the Echelon office building, which police said is in the 9400 block of Research Boulevard.
The flames seemed mostly extinguished about 75 minutes later.
The FAA said preliminary information indicated the plane departed Georgetown Municipal Airport north of Austin about 9:40 a.m. CT. An FAA spokeswoman said the plane was Piper Cherokee PA-28.
Jack Lillis, an attendant at Georgetown airport, said initial indications are that the flight originated there but there were conflicting reports and he could not verify that information.
The pilot evidently did not file a flight plan, the FAA said. No flight plan was required because the flight was under visual flight rules, or VFR, because of clear weather.
The Internal Revenue Service in Dallas told CNN the building is a federal IRS center with 199 employees. IRS officials were trying to determine if all the employees were accounted for.
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