“What we can say: It was not a technical defect,” Sergeant Major Ralf Passing from the press center of the Air Force in Berlin told the SWR on Friday. Why this could be ruled out, he did not say. Experts secured at the crash site and collected traces more information.
No evidence of technical failure
Also, the Commodore of the Tactical Air Force Squadron 33, Colonel Andreas basket, said on Büchel air base, there is so far no evidence of a technical defect. The plane was old, but in good condition. “The machine was in the normal approach path, we fly every day,” said basket. Evidence of pilot error, there is so far not revealed. Both pilots were experienced pilots, said basket SWR.
Investigation may take half a year
A team of experts of the General Aviation Safety from Cologne has begun, according to the Bundeswehr with investigations at the accident site. The flight recorder, the so-called black box has been found and is currently being evaluated. The tornado was not completely shattered, but still largely in one piece. Investigations into the cause of the crash can last up to half a year, according to the Ministry of Defense.
Around the crash site in an uninhabited forest near the highway 48, a military exclusion zone was established. Also, the air space above the crash site is provisionally suspended.
Crew saves himself by ejection seat
The jet had crashed on Thursday night during a training flight southeast of Laubach (district Cochem-Zell). Pilot and co-pilot managed to escape with the ejection seat. One landed in a tree and had to be taken with a long ladder from the treetops. The other landed in an open field. Both have suffered a slight compression of the spine, according to a spokesman of the Armed Forces Central Hospital, Koblenz. The doctors believe that they can be released on Saturday.

The Bundeswehr Tornado was part of the Tactical Air Force Squadron 33, stationed at the airbase Büchel / Cochem. It stores by experts guess 10 to 20 U.S. nuclear warheads from the Cold War, for their use in case of emergency, the Bundeswehr Tornado fighter pilot holds. Which was never officially confirmed.
Local peace groups and environmental organizations called again after the crash to deduct suspected in Büchel nuclear weapons. The disaster makes it clear what dangers emanate from the airbase for residents and the environment, says Markus Pflueger, spokesman for the Working Group on Peace from Trier. “A crash over the nuclear stockpile could cause a disaster,” said a board member of the National Association of Citizens’ Initiatives for Environmental Protection (BBU).
Highway closed for hours
After the accident, the A was 48 initially completely closed between junctions Laubach and Kaisersesch for debris on the road. On Friday morning, a road was ever released. More people, buildings or cars were not affected by the Tornado crash. The A 48 counts, according to police at the low traffic highways in Germany.
MAGNITUDE 5.2 – COSTA RICA
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000m3ce#summary
Subject To Change
Depth: 16 km
Distances: 21km (13mi) W of Jaco, Costa Rica
37km (23mi) S of Puntarenas, Costa Rica
38km (24mi) S of Chacarita, Costa Rica
43km (27mi) SSW of Esparza, Costa Rica
87km (54mi) WSW of San Jose, Costa Rica
Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Brown Field

A private jet made an emergency landing at Brown Field Thursday night, according to officials.
The hard landing happened around 9:45 p.m. at the Otay Mesa airport.
According to officials, the plane was found about 100 feet from the runway. The plane blew a tire, but the body of the plane was not damaged.
None one was injured.
As of 10:30 p.m. Thursday, only emergency landings are permitted at Brown Field.
The Citation jet is registered to the Cannon gun safe company in San Bernardino. The plane was bound for the LA/Ontario International Airport.


MAGNITUDE 5.0 – RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=353605
Subject To Change
Depth: 20 km
Distances: 621 km S of Fukuoka-shi, Japan / pop: 1,392,289 / local time: 07:56:06.0 2014-01-17
273 km NE of Naha-shi, Japan / pop: 300,795 / local time: 07:56:06.0 2014-01-17
34 km S of Naze, Japan / pop: 41,365 / local time: 07:56:06.0 2014-01-17
Plane Returns To Newark Airport After Strong Turbulence; 5 Flight Attendants Hurt

Five flight attendants were hurt, with one complaining of severe back pain, after a Beijing-bound flight that took off from from Newark Liberty International Airport hit turbulence about 30 minutes after takeoff, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said today.
Flight 89 returned to the airport about 4:30 p.m., the spokesman, Ron Marsico said.
A United Airlines spokeswoman said the aircraft, which took off at 12:40 p.m., was carrying 189 passengers and 16 crew members. None of the passengers was injured, Marsico said.
Emergency workers treated the flight attendants at the scene for minor bumps and bruises. All five were taken to area hospitals, he said.
Passengers were offered hotel rooms in Newark and will be flying out tomorrow, the United spokeswoman said.
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