Updates and corrections (full story below):
The pilot’s name is Joseph (Joe) Stack. He was a software engineer from Austin. The airplane, a Piper Dakota tail number N2889D, was registered in his name. He posted a suicide note on his web site at about 9:15, drove to the Georgetown airport and took off about 9:40. He crashed into the office building shortly thereafter.
The ISP that hosted his web site took the site offline in response to a request by the FBI. Thanks to the Internet, his suicide note (some are calling it a “manifesto”) will live on.
As of 4:30 PM, there are two reported injured and one still unaccounted for. I don’t know if that unaccounted-for person is the pilot himself, or somebody who was supposed to be in the building.
My original report:
Around 10:00 this morning, I heard a report on the radio of “something happening” near a major highway intersection here in Austin. I soon learned that a small plane had hit a building.
The crash started a very big fire, and the building is engulfed in flames. One report I saw said that the building is likely to be completely destroyed.
It’s been about two hours since the incident. The NTSB is investigating it as an intentional act. Early reports indicate that the pilot set fire to his own house, then stole an airplane and intentionally flew it into the building. I haven’t yet seen any reports of a motive, and there’s still a lot of speculation.
One person from the building is still unaccounted for. There are reports of two people being transported to the hospital, the extent of their injuries unknown. There are no deaths reported.
The conspiracy theorists have already jumped on it. I’ve seen several posts questioning whether “a little plane” could start such a large fire and cause so much damage to the building. Another bunch of posters are accusing the Obama administration of leaning on authorities and media to prevent the incident from being described as terrorism. I’d laugh, but it scares me that there are those who take these guys seriously.