"khobar" wrote:

"Scott M. Kozel" wrote:

The danger from this airport is not only from terrorists but could come
from just an ordinary airplane accident. On January 12, 1981 a plane with 79
took off in a snowstorm (nice going boys) and crashed in the Potomac River,
killing 74.

The only fatalities were from those on the plane. How is that "danger"

Unfortunately this is not the case:

"There were 74 passengers, including 3 infants, and 5 crew members on board.
All but 5 died. The aircraft struck 7 occupied vehicles on an Interstate
highway bridge and tore away a railing, killing 4 more people before it
plunged through the ice into the Potomac River. A total of 78 persons died
in the worst accident in Washington DC history. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Florida_Flight_90

However, the fact that there were other fatalities does not diminish your
point.

My own website article (!) that has been online since 1997 agrees that
there were 4 fatalities on the bridge. Still, it is not uncommon for
an airline disaster to kill small numbers of people on the ground.

"14th Street Bridge, the Air Florida Crash, and Subway Disaster" -
http://www.roadstothefuture.com/AirF...SubwayDis.html

Quote --

The plane had taken off from nearby Washington National Airport, and due
to wing icing and pilot error, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed
into the 14th Street Bridge and the Potomac River less than a mile from
the airport. There were only 5 survivors out of 79 people on board.
The plane was a Boeing 737 two-engine jet airliner that was Air Florida
Flight 90. The aircraft descended nose-high and tail-low, and at 4:01
PM, the tail struck the deck and parapet of the Rochambeau Bridge (the
northbound span), struck seven vehicles, killed 4 motorists and injured
4 motorists, and went into the frozen river between the Rochambeau
Bridge and the express span (they are a couple hundred yards apart).
The aircraft shattered the surface ice, and broke into multiple large
pieces which quickly sank into the river. There were a total of 78
fatalities.

--
Scott M. Kozel Highway and Transportation History Websites
Virginia/Maryland/Washington, D.C. http://www.roadstothefuture.com
Philadelphia and Delaware Valley http://www.pennways.com