Michelle Malkin and Little Green Footballs are reporting on word of a Surface to Air Missile attack on an America West flight out of JFK airport in New York City. Michelle has contacted the airline and talked to them about flight 17 and what happened on Thursday.

Michelle Malkin

I just got off the phone with Phil Gee, associate manager of media relations at America West, who promptly returned my late evening call. Here's what he told me:

On Sept. 15 (Thursday), America West Flight 17 took off from JFK Airport at 6:05pm EDT. The captain "took the initiative," says Gee, and reported an "irregularity" to air traffic control as the plane was ascending. The plane continued to Phoenix and landed safely at 8:55pm MST. FBI and other authorities met and interviewed all of the crew and passengers on the plane. The investigation is continuing.

Gee would not say whether the pilot or other crew or passengers reported witnessing a missile firing.

"Nothing is confirmed," Gee said.

With all the SAM shoulder fired missiles floating around and being discovered in raids occasionally this should not be surprising, but it is. Sometimes I think we live in a land of illusion where we don't really think some of the things we imagine could happen actually will some day.

I'll update as more is uncovered on this incident.

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Update: (8:39 AM)

Michelle Malkin is reporting that she has talked to an anonymous government aviation official and the FAA has concluded that it was "only birds". While this may be true, would they really tell us if it was a SAM?

Tipped by: Speed of Thought

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