Clarence New York, My Hometown

[Buffacuse]

Grew up there. Graduated high school there in 1976. Stay there every summer with Lil' Buff in camp. The plane crashed right down the street from where my grandparents lived. I used to ride my bike there.

I cannot believe this happened in my town...but we are directly on the flight path into the airport so if a plane was going down somewhere in WNY, it was very likely to go down there. The apartment complex we stay in every summer is exactly on the flight path this plane was taking--just about four miles away. If the plane had come down there, the death toll on the ground would have been catastrophic.

I also have to believe the pilot had zero control over the plane. Any pilot would have done everything possible to avoid a structure, and Clarence is not like suburbs near Atlanta, Washington or NYC--it is a huge town with lots of fields, big yards, and lots of empty space.

At some point, people are going to start wondering if Buffalo being a small market airport had anything to do with this--did the fact this plane was a twin prop as opposed to a jet have anything to do with a crash in bad weather. Folks up there are already asking: why are they flying several dozen people into Buffalo, in the winter, on a twin prop? I have taken commuter flights up there for years and that wind coming off Lake Erie can make for a bumpy ride--even in good weather.

I am sick to my stomach over this. I guarantee you that by tomorrow, I will learn I/my family knew someone on board. That's the way Buffalo is and why I love it so much--even when you leave, it is a huge extended family.

[MarleysGh0st]

I'm sorry, Buff. I hope you're wrong and there was nobody your family knows on the plane.

The news report I read did say it came down fast at a steep angle; it does sound like the pilot lost all control.

[peacock2121]

I am sorry for your personal connection.

This is just awful.

[frogman042]

I student taught H.S. Physics in Clarence in 1979-1980. It is just a strange feeling to have it happen in a familier area.