Manhattan Plane Crash Kills Yankee Pitcher
On October 11th a single engine plane carrying Yankee's pitcher Cory Lidell smashed into a 42 story building on the Upper East Side. Both Cory Lidell, age 24, as well as his flight instructor were killed. The plane was owned by Mr. Lidell and was a four seat propeller, performance model. It also featured two sets of controls which means that either Mr. Lidell or his instructor may have been flying the plane. Mr. Lidell had practiced for about 80 hours and he was planing on flying the plane home to California. The plane took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey at about 2:30 pm. Just twelve minutes later it reportedly hit the building on East 72nd street.
This recent event can be compared to another similar instance in which another important figure suffered from a devastating plane crash. The event mentioned is that of John F. Kennedy Jr. and how he crashed on the way to a cousin's wedding on Martha's Vineyard in July of 1999. Like Mr. Lidell, John F. Kennedy Jr. was in the prime of his life when it was suddenly taken from him. The means in which they both died is comparable also. They both were on their way home in their own private, single engine airplanes. Both Mr. Lidell and John F. Kennedy Jr. were memorable faces in America whose death served to provide a reminder to the entire country just how human public figures are as well as unite the entire country in mourning.