Roadway to LAX shut down as bomb squad investigates bags thrown from car [Updated]

A main connector road to Los Angeles International Airport has been shut down after police responded to reports this evening that two duffel bags were tossed out the window of a passing car, authorities said.

A bomb squad from the airport police is on the Sky Way access road, which runs alongside Terminal 1 from West 96th Street to World Way North, authorities said. Police responded around 6:30 p.m. after reports that the bags were thrown from a Mercedes sedan.

A witness flagged down police after seeing the bags tossed onto the roadway, authorities said.

Traffic in and around the airport has been heavy much of the day as travelers leave and arrive for the Thanksgiving weekend.

No additional details were available.

[Updated, 7:45 p.m.: The roadway has been reopened, and two people who police believe were engaged in an argument that led to the bag-tossing incident are being questioned.]

-- Andrew Blankstein

Customs agents foil suspected reptile smuggler at LAX

In an apparently cold-blooded attempt at smuggling, a Lomita man was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport this week with more than a dozen wriggling lizards strapped to his chest.

Michael Plank, 40, was detained by U.S. Customs agents after they discovered 15 live lizards stuffed into his money belt, officials with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said Friday.

Plank was returning from Australia on Tuesday when agents found two geckos, 11 skinks and two monitor lizards in his possession. Australian reptiles are strictly regulated, and Plank didn’t have a required export permit, officials said.

The lizards are valued at $8,500.

Smuggling wildlife into the U.S. is a felony punishable by a $250,000 fine and up to 20 years in prison. Plank has been released on a $10,000 bond and will be arraigned Dec. 21 in a Los Angeles federal court, authorities said.

-- Catherine Saillant
 

FAA computer glitch fixed; few flight delays expected at West Coast airports

A glitch in the FAA system that collects airlines' flight plans was repaired this morning and is not expected to affect travel to and from West Coast airports, officials said today.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said there will be some residual delays, but not many because the glitch occurred early in the morning when West Coast air traffic was low.

The FAA experienced a problem with one of its computers that processes flight plan information. Flight plans include all planned information for a flight, including destination, type of aircraft, speed and destination. They are processed nationwide by computers at centers in Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

Computer problems delay flights across U.S.; effect on West Coast airports is unknown [Updated]

[Updated 7:21 a.m.: FAA spokesman Ian Gregor says the computer-system problem in Atlanta has been fixed, but there will be residual delays.

"The flight plan processing system has been restored. There will be some residual delays," Gregor said in an e-mail.]

Federal aviation officials said they are not sure whether a glitch in the FAA system that collects airlines' flight plans will affect travel to and from West Coast airports.

“It might be too early here for significant departure delays because traffic volume is light at this time of morning,” said Ian Gregor, communications manager for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Western-Pacific region.

Gregor confirmed the agency is currently having a problem processing flight plan information. Flight plans include all planned information for a flight, including destination, type of aircraft, speed and destination. They are processed nationwide by computers at facilities in Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

Nationwide, there have been widespread cancellations and delays of flights this morning because of a problem with the system that processes flight plans in Atlanta.

The FAA is investigating the cause of the problem. Agency workers are processing flight plans manually and are experiencing delays.

Gregor said this is not a safety issue. “We have radar coverage and communications with planes,” he said.

[Updated 8:42 a.m.: Gregor said there was a similar problem with flight-plan processing in the Atlanta office in August 2008, delaying about 650 flights in the East and Midwest. An FAA spokesman at the time referred to it as an “internal software processing” problem. Gregor said there likely will be minimal effect on West Coast departures because the outage occurred early in the morning when traffic volume was low.

-- Baxter Holmes

Study finds high air pollution levels around Santa Monica Airport

A new UCLA study shows that people who live and work near Santa Monica Airport are exposed to unusually high levels of air pollution — a significant health concern that has been largely associated with major commercial airports such as LAX.

The study, published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, found that emissions of so-called ultrafine particles were 10 times higher than background levels about 100 yards downwind of the airport. The levels were 2.5 times higher at a distance of about six football fields.

Less an 1/500th the width of a human hair, ultrafine particles can travel deep into the lungs and penetrate tissue. Research has shown that elevated levels are associated with increased deaths due to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

Plane crashes in San Gabriel; pilot dies

A single-engine plane crashed this afternoon in San Gabriel, killing the pilot.

The plane took off from Brackett Field in La Verne and was headed to Van Nuys when it crashed in the 5100 block of Walnut Grove Avenue, Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman Richard Pena said.

"It looked like the pilot might have survived if there hadn't been a fire," Pena said.

There were no other injuries.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said authorities were not ready to release the name of the pilot.

The plane was registered to David Flotho of Grants Pass, Ore.

-- Garrett Therolf

Tyson was defending daughter, wife during LAX altercation with paparazzo, spokeswoman says [Updated]

Mike Tyson was defending his wife and 10-month-old child from an aggressive photographer when the former boxer got into an altercation at LAX on Wednesday, his spokeswoman said.

Tyson and the photographer were arrested on suspicion of battery, and police said they were interviewing witnesses to determine what happened.

Tyson, 43, told investigators that the photographer struck him in an apparent attempt to provoke him, according to a police source who asked not to be named because the matter involved an open investigation.

The photographer told investigators that Tyson punched him in the face and tried to take his camera, the source told The Times.

"Mike acted in self-defense as a father protecting his child," said Tyson's spokeswoman Tammy Brook.

A fellow paparazzo interviewed by KABC-TV Channel 7 said the photographer regularly photographed celebrities at LAX but said the man would not provoke a physical altercation.

[Updated at 8:50 a.m.: The photographer, Tony Echeverria, told infdaily.com that he got a tip that Tyson and his family were arriving at LAX on Wednesday. He found Tyson and followed him for several minutes around the airport, at one point exchanging words. Tyson eventually hit him four times, Echeverria said.]

The incident occurred at Terminal 7 in front of numerous witnesses at about 4:30 p.m., according to Los Angeles Airport Police. The photographer suffered a minor cut to his forehead. Witnesses said there was blood on the floor of the terminal.

Both men wanted to press charges of battery against each other, said Sgt. Jim Holcomb of the airport police.

 “There’s a lot of different versions to the story,” Holcomb said.

Tyson was initially held in the airport station’s lockup, but he was later transferred to the LAPD’s 77th Street Station, where he was booked and released on his own recognizance at 8:10 p.m.

“He was very cooperative,” said LAPD Lt. Aaron McCraney. “There were no issues.”

Today's episode was the latest clash between celebrities and paparazzi at LAX.

On Sept. 12, 2008, rapper Kanye West was arrested on suspicion of vandalism, and his road manager, Don Crowley, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery, after they reportedly confronted a photographer and smashed his camera.

An L.A. court commissioner dismissed all charges against both men last month.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: KTLA

More breaking news in L.A. Now:

Times/USC poll discussed on KCRW (in case you missed it)

Two die in Mid-City stabbing and officer-involved shooting

Superintendent works to preserve historic Mt. Wilson Observatory

Orange County unveils ambitious brush-fire warning system, a year after devastating blaze

Woman killed in Mid-City domestic violence incident

Mike Tyson booked on suspicion of battery in Los Angeles

Boxer Mike Tyson was booked on suspicion of battery tonight after an altercation with a paparazzo at Los Angeles International Airport, according to authorities.

The incident occurred at Terminal 7 in front of numerous witnesses about 4:30 p.m., according to Los Angeles Airport Police. The photographer, who suffered a minor cut to his forehead, was not identified.

Tyson, 43, told investigators that the photographer struck him in an apparent attempt to provoke him, according to a police source who asked not to be named because the matter involved an open investigation.

The photographer told investigators that Tyson punched him in the face and tried to take his camera, the source said.

Meanwhile, a Tyson spokesperson told the website TMZ.com that the boxer was accompanied by a 10-month-old child and that he was trying to protect her.

Both men wanted to press charges of battery against each other, said Sgt. Jim Holcomb of the airport police. Trying to determine exactly what had happened was a difficult because of the varying accounts of witnesses.

 “There’s a lot of different versions to the story,” Holcomb said.

Tyson was initially held in the airport station’s lockup, but he was later transferred to the LAPD’s 77th Street Station, where he was booked and released on his own recognizance at 8:10 p.m.
“He was very cooperative,” said LAPD Lt. Aaron McCraney. “There were no issues.”

The photographer was taken to a hospital for treatment. He may be booked on suspicion of battery following a medical evaluation, according to the law enforcement source.

Today's episode was the latest clash between celebrities and paparazzi at LAX.

On Sept. 12, 2008, rapper Kanye West was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and his road manager, Don Crowley, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery after they reportedly confronted a photographer and smashed his camera.

An L.A. court commissioner dismissed all charges against both men last month.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Mike Tyson. Credit: Getty Images

Mike Tyson detained at LAX after altercation with photographer [Updated]

Boxer Mike Tyson was detained at Los Angeles International Airport this afternoon after getting into an altercation.

[Updated 8:50 p.m.: Tyson was taken by LAXpolice to the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Division, where he was booked on suspicion of battery and released on his own recognizance at 8:10 p.m., said Lt. Aaron McCraney said.

"He was very cooperative," McCraney said. "There were no issues."]

The incident occurred at Terminal 7.

A law enforcement source told The Times that both Tyson and an unidentified photographer traded accusations about the altercation. Los Angeles airport police are now interviewing both Tyson and the photographer.

[Updated at 6:20 p.m.: The source said Tyson told investigators that the photographer struck him in an apparent attempt to provoke him. The photographer told investigators that Tyson punched him in the face and tried to take the film from his camera, according to the source, who spoke on condition that he not be named because it was an open investigation.

Both men wanted to press battery charges against each other, so police placed both under arrest, the source said.

The photographer was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries to his face.]

It's the latest of several clashes between celebrities and paparazzi at LAX. 

On Sept. 12, 2008, rapper Kanye West was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and his road manager, Don Crowley, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery at LAX after they reportedly confronted a photographer and smashed his camera.

An L.A. court commissioner dismissed all charges against both men last month.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Mike Tyson. Credit: Getty Images

Two airliners in LAX runway incursion were 80 feet apart, not 10 to 15 feet, FAA says

A radar analysis shows that two airliners involved in a runway incursion at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday were more than 80 feet apart, the Federal Aviation Administration reported Wednesday.

The finding disputes an earlier estimate by an air traffic controller at LAX that the Northwest Airlines and Midwest Express planes were 10 to 15 feet away from colliding with each other.

FAA officials said the Midwest Embraer E190 rolled past the hold lines on a taxiway on the airport’s south side and stopped about 70 feet from the edge of the inner runway, where a Northwest Boeing 757 was taking off.

Assuming the Northwest plane was in the center of the runway, FAA officials said, the total distance between the aircraft was about 82 feet.

The incursion has prompted City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents the airport area, to ask for an examination of the incident. He requested the study in a motion he made at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. A vote is pending.

--Dan Weikel

More breaking news in L.A. Now:

Two airliners in LAX runway incursion were 80 feet apart, not 10 to 15 feet, FAA says

Reputed 'bling ring' celebrity targets included Ashley Tisdale, Megan Fox 

Hawthorne mother of two is killed on duty in Afghanistan

Winds in L.A. area bring red-flag fire warning

Man pleads guilty to raping, murdering 93-year-old woman

Three new swine flu vaccine clinics open today in L.A. County

Tree crashes on L.A. church during windstorm

Bay Bridge closure causes nightmare commute as engineers try to determine why rod snapped

Sex chat number accidentally printed on O.C. elementary school shirts

FAA investigates LAX runway incursion

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a runway incursion Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport in which two planes passed within 15 feet of each other, according to one witness.

It’s just the type of safety problem that the airport’s new $83-million center taxiway was designed to prevent.

Ian Gregor, an FAA spokesman, said Monday that the incident occurred when a Midwest Airlines Embraer E-190 passed the hold bars on a taxiway and came closer than it should have to a Northwest Airlines Boeing 757 taking off on the south side’s inner runway.

Last June, LAX opened a 1.8-mile-long centerline taxiway between the two runways on the airport’s south side, where eight minor incursions have occurred since 2008. The new taxiway acts as a buffer zone where arriving aircraft can slow down and wait for clearance to cross the inner runway.

-- Dan Weikel

Charges dismissed against Kanye West in airport scuffle with paparazzi

An L.A. court commissioner today dismissed all charges against rapper Kanye West related to a confrontation with paparazzi last year at Los Angeles International Airport.

On Sept. 12, 2008, West was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and his road manager, Don Crowley, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery at LAX after the two men reportedly confronted a photographer and smashed his camera, authorities said.

The incident outside the passenger screening area in Terminal 4 caused a delay of about 20 minutes for passengers waiting to get through security.

LAX hikes parking fees at economy lots

Travelers who use the economy parking lots at Los Angeles International Airport will pay $2 more per day starting Nov.19.

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners approved the increase Monday for parking lots B and C, whose rates were last raised in 2002.

When the increase goes into effect it will cost $10 a day to park in Lot B on 111th Street and $12 a day in  Lot C off Sepulveda Boulevard.

Airport officials said the new rates will help offset the rising costs of operating, maintaining and policing the lots, as well as the free bus service that shuttles passengers between the parking lots and airport terminals.

-- Dan Weikel

More breaking news in L.A. Now:

18 charged in alleged $25-million Medicare fraud scheme in Southern California

Police Commission begins interviews today for next LAPD chief

L.A. council broaches raising fees to appeal development decisions

L.A. City Council to consider historic landmark status for Century Plaza Hotel today

Polanski likely to be extradicted to U.S., Swiss officials told L.A. prosecutors

3.3 earthquake hits San Bernardino County

Apparent gang-related shooting leaves four injured in South L.A.

Major modernization contracts for LAX approved

More than $1.1 billion in construction contracts to renovate facilities at Los Angeles International Airport were approved today by L.A.'s airport commission.

The plan, a major step in the modernization of LAX, also calls for building new gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial planes.

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners awarded two contracts to the Walsh Austin Joint Venture, which will reconfigure the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

“This action is a tremendous step forward in the modernization of LAX,” said commissioner Walt Zifkin. “Nothing has really happened since 1984. Hopefully, it won’t take this long to do the next modernization project.”

More than $1.1 billion in construction contracts to renovate facilities at Los Angeles International Airport were approved today by L.A.'s airport commission.

The plan, a major step in the modernization of LAX, also calls for building new gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial planes.

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners awarded two contracts to the Walsh Austin Joint Venture, which will reconfigure the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

“This action is a tremendous step forward in the modernization of LAX,” said commissioner Walt Zifkin. “Nothing has really happened since 1984. Hopefully, it won’t take this long to do the next modernization project.”

$1 billion expansion of LAX expected to win approval today

Although the airline industry remains in a deep slump, airport commissioners today are expected to approve $1.13 billion in construction contracts to revitalize facilities for international travelers at Los Angeles International Airport and build new gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial planes.

In one of the most visible signs that the modernization of LAX is underway, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners is set to award two contracts to the Walsh Austin Joint Venture, which will handle the reconfiguration of the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

“The Bradley is the centerpiece of the current modernization program,” said Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, the operator of LAX. “The project will change how the airport looks to passengers and how international passengers arrive and depart. We are completely redoing the front door.”

Airport officials plan to add a million square feet of space to the terminal to make room for ticket counters, security checkpoints and passenger lounges, as well as expanded customs-and-immigration facilities. Restaurants and retail stores will occupy a grand central hall.

United Airlines flight makes emergency landing at LAX

A United Airlines flight that took off this afternoon from Los Angeles International Airport was forced to return to the airport and make an emergency landing after the pilot noticed a possible leak in the hydraulic system, authorities said.

The pilot of Flight 891, which left for Narita, Japan, at 1:25 p.m., noticed the problem as the plane cruised over the Ventura area, said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Los Angeles. The pilot headed back to LAX and declared an emergency that prompted officials to scramble crash rescue units as the plane prepared to land.

The plane landed safely at 2:21 p.m. and was towed to the gate, Gregor said. United crews were inspecting the aircraft this afternoon to determine what may have gone wrong.

--Robert J. Lopez

Jet halted at LAX; two men are removed by police [Updated]

A plane was stopped from taking off from Los Angeles International Airport, and two men on board were taken into custody, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

LAPD Lt. John Romero said the men, who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent, were acting suspiciously.

A law enforcement source said at least one of the men ran into a restroom on the plane and appeared to hide while the New York-bound jet was taxiing on the runway, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing. 

The flight crew confronted the two men and made the decision to stop the plane before it took off, the source said. The men were taken into custody by heavily armed law enforcement officials.

The plane has been taken to a remote area of the airport to be searched by a bomb squad, sources said.

The LAPD's anti-terrorism unit and the FBI are on the case, but the source said it's too early to tell whether terrorism played any role in the incident.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said that she was aware of only one person being detained for questioning after the person failed to comply with airline safety regulations and directions of the crew.

Strip club near LAX to be demolished for a parking lot

The strip club advertising “Nude Nude Nudes” near Los Angeles International Airport, which has titillated, distracted or disgusted tourists driving on Century Boulevard for decades, has been shut down. It will be turned into a parking lot.

The lease for the Century Lounge strip club, best known for its psychedelic red-and-orange “Nude Nude Nudes” sign that rapidly blinked, expired at the end of August and the lights have been shut off, said John Day, general counsel for the owner of the property, Los Angeles-based L&R Group of Companies.

The club is expected to be demolished in October, and is to serve as an entrance to the existing WallyPark parking structure, which is owned by L&R, and add 700 to 800 ground-level parking spaces. The existing parking structure, which is several stories high, has an entrance on Bellanca Boulevard, a small street, but company officials have been hoping for a more high-profile entrance on Century Boulevard.

“We bought the property probably about 10 years ago, because it’s adjacent to our WallyPark facility. We had intended to buy out the lease, but the owner was fairly delusional in terms of the price,” Day said. “We waited until the lease was up and it was terminated.”

Head of L.A. World Airports police and security services announces his departure

James T. Butts Jr., who headed police and security operations at Los Angeles World Airports for the last three years, announced Tuesday that he was stepping down at the end of the year, according to a memo obtained by The Times.

Butts is credited with improving training and discipline at the organization, which with more than 1,200 sworn and civilian personnel is the nation's largest airport law enforcement and security organization. He previously served 15 years as Santa Monica police chief.

"We have established ourselves as leaders in implementing technology and as a premier respected, trusted, professional law enforcement organization," Butts wrote in the announcement.

His tenure also marked better relationships with outside law enforcement agencies, most notably the Los Angeles Police Department, which under Chief William J. Bratton launched an unsuccessful bid to absorb the much smaller -- and at the time maligned -- department.

"He was a great partner," said LAPD Asst. Chief Earl Paysinger. "His departure will leave a void."

Butts, who could not be reached for comment tonight, did not give a reason for his departure. He said in the memo that his position would not be filled. Instead, his duties will be absorbed by George R. Centeno, LAWA's chief of police and other staff.

-- Andrew Blankstein

American Airlines flight makes emergency landing at LAX

An American Airlines Boeing 757 carrying 194 people made an emergency landing at LAX today after a pilot reported unspecified problems with the aircraft's right wing, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor.

American Airlines Flight 414 had departed San Diego for Dallas at 3:43 p.m. It landed uneventfully at LAX at 4:46 p.m., Gregor said.

The FAA is investigating the matter.

-- Monte Morin

Anaheim man convicted of interfering with crew on international flight

An unruly airline passenger who was duct-taped to his seat by flight attendants during an international flight has been convicted of interfering with a flight crew.

James Allen Cameron, 50, of Anaheim was convicted Monday of disruptive behavior during an April 23, 2008, United Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles International Airport. He was also charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly hitting an off-duty pilot during the flight, but the federal jury deadlocked on that count.

Prosecutors said Cameron had been drinking and was so belligerent and verbally abusive that crew members, a passenger and an off-duty pilot restrained his hands with plastic handcuffs. Still, prosecutors said, Cameron managed to punch a flight attendant on the chin. The crew then held Cameron down and duct-taped his legs and chest, prosecutors said. Cameron was again able to get loose and the crew eventually used several seat belt extensions and metal handcuffs to restrain him.

The maximum prison sentence for interference with a flight crew is 20 years, but when all the circumstances are taken into consideration Cameron will probably get a lower sentence, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Priya Sopori.

“We do not expect the sentence will be 20 years,” she said.

-- Paloma Esquivel, reporting from Orange County

Water partially restored at LAX terminals

Water service has been restored in the restrooms inside Terminal 2 at LAX, but it is still not drinkable, say officials with Los Angeles World Airports.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will be sampling the water quality later this afternoon to determine when it will be fit for human consumption, airport officials said.

A 12-inch water main broke Thursday afternoon on the ground floor of a parking structure, causing flooding on the first level and cutting off water to the terminal.

Crews are continuing to work on restoring water service to Terminal 3, where officials said additional portable toilets are available. Prepackaged food and bottled water is available at both terminals.

-- Ann Simmons

Workers still repairing ruptured water main at LAX

Workers are still trying to repair a ruptured water main that flooded a parking lot and shut down restrooms and refreshments stands at some Los Angeles International Airport terminals.

The 12-inch water main broke Thursday afternoon on the ground floor of a parking structure, causing flooding on the first level, Los Angeles World Airports officials said in a statement.

 “The flooding is now gone,” but “the structure remains closed,” LAWA officials said. “All other parking structures are open.”

Water main ruptures at LAX, but doesn't affect flights, traffic

A water main break Thursday afternoon added a new twist to the challenges of flying out of Los Angeles International Airport.

The break at 4:09 p.m. flooded the lowest level of a parking structure, but also knocked out water service to Terminals 2, 3 and 4. That forced the airport to close the restrooms in those terminals and restrict food concessions to only prepackaged food and beverages.

Among the airlines using the affected terminals are Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Alaska, American, Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic. (A full list can be found here.)

The water main break did not affect flights or vehicular traffic at the airport, LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles said, although Parking Structure 2B has been closed until the break is repaired. She said there is plenty of parking in adjacent structures.

The main ruptured beneath Structure 2B, which is one of two garages serving Terminal 2. “There was some flooding in the parking structure because it was on the lowest level, and that area was surrounded by the walls of the parking structure," Castles said. "One vehicle was partially under water, while other vehicles in that area were towed to higher ground."

At its high point, the water was just below the top of a 3 1/2-foot wall, she said.

Castles said the cause was not known. She noted that there was a minor earthquake beneath LAX earlier this week, but said she had no idea if that contributed to the break.

Castles said she expected water service to remain out at the terminals through the evening. Shortly before 7 p.m., she said workers were delivering portable toilets that were being set up outside the terminals.

—Mitchell Landsberg

Three dead in Hawthorne plane crash

A single-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff this afternoon at the Hawthorne Municipal Airport, killing all three people aboard, authorities said.

The Beechcraft 36 Bonanza had just taken off when it reported mechanical difficulties about 4:20 p.m. and crashed into a parking lot on the southern edge of the airport, just north of Jack Northrup Avenue, according to Inspector Frank Garrido of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. He said the plane did not strike any vehicles or buildings, and no one outside the plane was injured.

The names of those killed in the crash were not immediately released.

Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Seattle, said the plane was registered as N618MW. FAA records show that plane was manufactured in 2005 and is owned by Carpet Pros Inc., a flooring store in Lawndale.

No one answered the phone at the store early this evening.

--Mitchell Landsberg