Plane Crashes into Florida Skyscraper 1/5/02
Islamic calendar date:  Shawwal 21, 1422  or 10/21/22

• A single-engine plane, controlled by 15-yr old Charles J. Bishop, a student pilot, crashed into the 28th floor/southwest side of the 42-story Bank of America building in downtown Tampa, FL about 5:15PM EST.  The pilot, who did not have permission to fly the plane, was killed.
  • US Coast Guard says plane took off from St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport, about 20 miles away, without proper clearance and ignored a following Coast Guard helicopter's hand signals for it to land.  Coast Guard has no doubt the pilot understood the signals - the copter was only a few yards away.  The weather was clear.
  • The plane had also flown over MacDill Air Force Base, a no-fly zone, and had two fighter jets chasing him as well.  MacDill is headquarters for the war in Afghanistan.
  • One wing and other parts fell to the ground.  No injuries in the building or the street below.
  • The plane, a Cessna 172R, was owned by a St. Petersburg-based flight school, National Aviation Holdings, Inc.  Read the registration information from the Aircraft Registration database.
  • Washington officials say it's not terrorist related.
  • A note, reportedly written by Bishop, was found at the crash scene "expressing his sympathy for Osama bin Laden".  Bishop was of Arab descent from his father's side.
  • Bishop's suicide note revealed that his actions were in support of bin Laden's cause.
• Downtown Tampa interactive map.  Starting at the bottom, left of the map is the Convention Center.  The third tall yellow building up from the left is the Bank of America Plaza.
• Read more about The Bank of America Plaza.