NEW YORK -- Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle was the pilot of a small plane that crashed into a high-rise apartment building in Manhattan on Wednesday, according to published reports. Lidle, 34, was killed in the crash, the reports said. The New York Times reported that police said two bodies were found on the ground shortly after the crash, and that one of them was that of Lidle, who was a licensed pilot.
Four deaths were confirmed by the city medical examiner's office, CNN reported.
Yankees manager Joe Torre told CNN that the plane that was a Cirrus SR-20 registered to Lidle.
A New York City Fire Department spokeswoman, Emily Rahimi, told The Associated Press that the aircraft struck the 20th floor of the 50-story building, at 524 E. 72nd St., on the east side of Manhattan.
Lidle, whose team was eliminated Saturday in the Division Series by the Detroit Tigers, told reporters on Monday that he planned to fly home to California on Wednesday. He said it would take roughly 15 hours of flying time, though he planned on stopping at least twice, including one stop in Arizona.
Federal Aviation Administration records showed the single-engine plane was registered to Lidle, and FBI reports show that Lidle's passport was found at the scene, according to a report on ESPN.com.
Lidle's agent, Jordan Feagan, told Newsday he was informed by the Yankees that Lidle was among the fatalities of the 2:30 p.m. crash.
"He wasn't just my client. He was probably my closest friend," Feagan said.
Cory Lidle Dies in Plane Crash
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks