BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- A National Transportation and Safety Board spokeswoman said on Thursday investigators have found the memory chip in the Cirrus Design SR20 airplane that slammed into a New York condominium Wednesday, killing New York Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle and flight instructor Tyler Stanger.

    Debbie Hersman said investigators found a memory chip that could provide information about the flight at the time of the crash, but Cirrus Design spokesman Bill King said that will depend on the condition of the chip.

    "This is not black box technology," said King. "It's going to give general information (such as) how hard the engine was working. It won't show speed. (But) this airplane took a significant hit. Depending on how badly damaged it is, they may or may not have any information on it."

    Hersman said investigators also found a global positioning system device. She also said the last radar picture the plane showed the single-engine craft at 500 feet in a left turn a quarter-mile north of the building it struck

    Hersman said the aircraft was traveling 112 mph at 700 feet when it reached 70th Street and began the turn just moments before crashing in the Belaire condominium on 72nd Street.

    "Additional radar from other sources will provide us with more information," Hersman told reporters.

    The fiery crash brought back memories of Sept. 11 to many Upper East Side residents.

    Hersman said the plane left New Jersey's Teterboro Regional Airport flying north, made a right turn to fly south along the New Jersey shore of the Hudson River and then made a 180-degree turn around the Statue of Liberty to fly north up the East River.

    Hersman said investigators had not yet determined which man was piloting the plane, which was registered to Lidle.

    The Hudson and East River corridors are governed by VFR [visual flight rules], meaning a pilot cannot fly in the clouds and must navigate by visible landmarks. It also means that general aviation aircraft cannot fly above 1,100 feet and are not required to be in contact with air traffic control.

    Hersman said investigators hoped to complete that phase of the investigation in "about 24 hours" and release the scene. Enditem

    (Agencies)

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (C) speaks at a press conferrence for an air crash happaned on Manhattan's Upper East Side, New York, Oct. 11, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

Federal investigators probing small plane crash in NY

    NEW YORK, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are in the city Thursday trying to figure out what happened in the moments before the small plane with Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle on board crashed into an Upper East Side high-rise the day before.

    They will also try to determine whether Lidle was at the controls or whether his flight instructor had taken over. Both were killed in the crash. Contrary to earlier media reports, the NTSB officials said there is no indication that a distress call was made. Full Story

New York governor calls for tighter flight rules following small plane crash    

    NEW YORK, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- New York Governor George Pataki on Thursday called for tighter rules for small planes flying at low altitude around Manhattan, a day after a light plane crashed into an apartment building on the Upper East Side of the island.

    "It's just unfathomable that five years after Sept. 11th, an inexperienced pilot can be circling the city and not under the control of any of the radar towers of the airports around the city," said Pataki.

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