Small cargo jet crashes into Mississippi River
A twin-engine cargo jet plunged into the Mississippi River north of downtown St. Louis on Tuesday night, moments after bad weather forced its pilot to delay a landing attempt at Lambert Field.
Two men on board the Grand Aire jet were rescued just north of the McKinley Bridge, although one was reported in critical condition at a St. Louis hospital. The second man was in stable condition.
The two men were identified by the FBI as pilots Saleem Iqbal, 34, and Mohammed Saleh, 44. The men were in the custody of St. Louis police on Tuesday night as a precaution while police and the FBI continue their investigation.
Grand Aire Flight 179 was en route to Lambert from Del Rio, Texas, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory.
The aircraft was ordered to land on Runway 30-Right, but poor visibility and rain forced controllers at the Lambert tower to send the plane around and try to land a second time.
While circling above St. Louis, the crew radioed air traffic controllers that the plane was critically low on fuel, an FAA source said. The Falcon 20 turbo jet crashed into the river about 6:30 p.m., FAA officials said.
Authorities were investigating to determine whether the crash was the result of possible terrorism.
``Because the country is on an orange alert and because Mississippi River bridges have been listed as possible terrorism targets, we are handling this matter with extreme caution,'' Mayor Francis Slay said.
But he warned against jumping to conclusions.
The Mississippi River crash was the second of the day involving a plane operated by the charter company based in suburban Toledo, Ohio.
Three people were killed earlier Tuesday when another Falcon 20 operated by Grand Aire crashed into a nature preserve near the Toledo Express Airport. That flight originated in Traverse City, Mich., and crashed about 2 p.m., authorities said.
Both accidents remain under investigation. A Grand Aire customer service representative who answered the telephone late Tuesday declined to comment on either crash.
In St. Louis, police received a call just before 7 p.m. regarding a plane in distress, said Deputy Police Chief Ray Lauer.
When a Fire Department rescue boat reached the plane, firefighters found one man sitting on top of the plane, and the other man was inside, Lauer said. Both were conscious.
Lauer said that he could not determine the injuries to both men, but said they probably were suffering from hypothermia. Both men may have been in the water for about 15 minutes before their rescue, he said.
After the men were rescued, the plane continued to drift downriver. A Fire Department rescue boat was deployed to guide the plane to shore.
Asked if security will be heightened at the bridges following the crash, Lauer said that such steps will be taken.
"Yes, as a precaution," he said.
Before Tuesday, the last fatal crash involving a Grand Aire plane was on July 14, when a pilot was killed in a crash as he tried to land a twin-engine plane amid thick fog at the Columbus, Ind., airport.
The FAA said that there have been several civil penalties brought against Grand Aire over the past few years.
For example, on June 1, 2000, the FAA proposed a $95,000 civil penalty against the company for deficiencies in performing four maintenance tasks. Also that month, Grand Aire was fined another $95,000 for operating an aircraft for 20 days without repairing a known problem.
On May 1, 2000, the aviation agency assessed Grand Aire a $195,000 fine for failure to conduct a required ground and in-flight test after removal and replacement of an engine.
The company, founded in 1985, has seen dramatic growth under President and CEO Tahir Cheema. In 1997, it moved from Monroe, Mich., to a $4.5 million headquarters at Toledo Express Airport. It has seven operation bases throughout the country.
Grand Aire is one of the largest air charter management companies in North America, according to company statements. It delivers auto parts and other cargo in addition to a charter passenger operation.
It had 27 aircraft ranging from twin piston to jet, including a DC-9. Two of the aircraft carry passengers and the remaining 25 are for freight.
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