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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 17 May 2017
No problems reported in minute before deadly jet crash

close,” Falbo said. “If it had
hit here, this place would
have gone up like a Ro-
man candle.” New Jersey
lawmakers, most notably
former Democratic U.S.
Rep. Steve Rothman, have
successfully fought off at-
tempts by the Federal
Aviation Administration to
allow business jets weigh-
ing more than 100,000
pounds to use Teterboro.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob
Menendez recently wrote
a federal budget measure
to continue that restriction.
Teterboro, which is owned
by the Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey,
is the oldest operating air-
port in the New York City
area. Over the years, air
A firefighter stands looks over the scene after a jet crashed into a building near Teterboro Airport carriers have agreed to a
in Carlstadt, N.J., Monday, May 15, 2017. nighttime curfew and a
(Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Advance Media via AP) ban on the noisiest planes
at the airport.q
By DAVID PORTER gusting at more than 30
Associated Press mph and controllers would
MOONACHIE, N.J. (AP) — A have tried to have the
plane that crashed near a plane head into the wind
small airport outside New to avoid crosswind.
York City, killing two crew The plane was listing to the
members, didn’t report any right with its nose down at
problems to air traffic con- the time of impact, indicat-
trollers a minute before it ing it was out of control, Sil-
nosedived, a federal inves- liman added, referring to
tigator said Tuesday. video that shows the plane
The Learjet crash Monday crashing into the ground
afternoon in an industrial nose-first. “Why it got there
area near Teterboro Airport is of course the subject of
caused a fire that dam- the investigation,” he said.
aged two buildings and The crash has dredged up
burned 16 cars in a park- dormant fears among resi-
ing lot. The plane struck a dents who live within yards
building, but no one on the of where corporate jets
ground was injured. take off and land.
Jim Silliman, an investigator The airport sits in a densely
with the National Transpor- populated area just north
tation Safety Board, said of MetLife Stadium, home
Tuesday it appeared from to the NFL’s Jets and Gi-
air traffic control audio ants, and has been a bat-
tapes that the plane’s ap- tleground over the years
proach was going smooth- over the types and number
ly right before the crash. of planes that should be al-
“It seemed they were talk- lowed to land there.
ing to the aircraft while it Residents of a community
was on approach and the of trailer homes that sits
pilots didn’t give any sense across a street from the
of an extreme situation or end of one of Teterboro’s
identify any problem with runways are accustomed
the aircraft at the time,” to the sound of planes tak-
he said. Silliman said the ing off and landing.
voice recorder had been John Falbo, who has lived
recovered and was be- in the New Jersey com-
ing shipped to NTSB head- munity for four years, said
quarters. He said the flight he can even smell the jet
wasn’t required to have a fuel as the planes pass by.
data recorder. Planes skirt one side of the
He said the wind at the development, but helicop-
time of the crash “was ters pass right over, he said.
a concern.” Winds were Monday’s crash “hit so