Mid Air Collision Over the Hudson River NYC
60-year-old real estate investment executive from Ambler, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb,
Steven Altman, the pilot of the plane that crashed in the Hudson River, was a son of David Altman, who landed at Iwo Jima in World War II as a Marine and was awarded a Purple Heart. David Altman, now 87, also flew small planes and lived close to Wings Field, the airport in Blue Bell, Pa., that Steven Altman took off from early on Saturday.
Mr. Altman's brother Daniel Altman, 49, and Daniel's son Douglas Altman, 16, also were on board the plane when it crashed.
Steven Altman had had a pilot's license for more than 30 years, his uncle Irving Altman said. "He always liked flying," he said. Steven Altman was certified to fly single- and multiple-engine aircraft and to make instrument landings.
Like his father, he flew missions for Angel Flight East, which provides free air transportation for medical patients and their families. "He flies more than the norm," said Tom Dougherty, president of Montgomery County Aviation, who had fueled Mr. Altman's plane regularly. "He was a strong pilot."
In partnership with his father, he bought the airplane he was flying on Saturday from Michael V. Chiodo, another amateur pilot, about 10 years ago. The Piper single-engine aircraft was manufactured in 1976 but had been fitted with new engines recently, Mr. Chiodo said.
Mr. Altman left Wings Field at 7:14 a.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board. He arrived at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and picked up a passenger, possibly his nephew, Douglas. A friend told The Record, of Bergen County, that Douglas had spent several weeks on a tour of Alaska, Hawaii and the West Coast.
After a layover of about 30 minutes, the plane was cleared for takeoff at 11:49 a.m. It disappeared from radar four minutes later.
Mr. Chiodo said he was on the phone with David Altman on Saturday when Steven Altman was identified on television as the pilot of the plane in the crash. "He says, ‘Oh my God, that's my son,' " Mr. Chiodo recalled. "We were planning on going flying in another airplane ride on Saturday. It's upsetting, more than you'll ever know."
Daniel Altman, who worked in a family real estate business with his brother, and his son Douglas lived in nearby Dresher, Pa.
Ran Zohar, 38, the owner of Personal Power Martial Arts, in Flourtown, Pa., said that Daniel, Douglas and Douglas's brother Max had taken karate classes from him.
Daniel and Max were black belts and always worked out together. "They were the best kind of people, really, really nice," Mr. Zohar said.
60-year-old real estate investment executive from Ambler, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb,
Steven Altman, the pilot of the plane that crashed in the Hudson River, was a son of David Altman, who landed at Iwo Jima in World War II as a Marine and was awarded a Purple Heart. David Altman, now 87, also flew small planes and lived close to Wings Field, the airport in Blue Bell, Pa., that Steven Altman took off from early on Saturday.
Mr. Altman's brother Daniel Altman, 49, and Daniel's son Douglas Altman, 16, also were on board the plane when it crashed.
Steven Altman had had a pilot's license for more than 30 years, his uncle Irving Altman said. "He always liked flying," he said. Steven Altman was certified to fly single- and multiple-engine aircraft and to make instrument landings.
Like his father, he flew missions for Angel Flight East, which provides free air transportation for medical patients and their families. "He flies more than the norm," said Tom Dougherty, president of Montgomery County Aviation, who had fueled Mr. Altman's plane regularly. "He was a strong pilot."
In partnership with his father, he bought the airplane he was flying on Saturday from Michael V. Chiodo, another amateur pilot, about 10 years ago. The Piper single-engine aircraft was manufactured in 1976 but had been fitted with new engines recently, Mr. Chiodo said.
Mr. Altman left Wings Field at 7:14 a.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board. He arrived at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and picked up a passenger, possibly his nephew, Douglas. A friend told The Record, of Bergen County, that Douglas had spent several weeks on a tour of Alaska, Hawaii and the West Coast.
After a layover of about 30 minutes, the plane was cleared for takeoff at 11:49 a.m. It disappeared from radar four minutes later.
Mr. Chiodo said he was on the phone with David Altman on Saturday when Steven Altman was identified on television as the pilot of the plane in the crash. "He says, ‘Oh my God, that's my son,' " Mr. Chiodo recalled. "We were planning on going flying in another airplane ride on Saturday. It's upsetting, more than you'll ever know."
Daniel Altman, who worked in a family real estate business with his brother, and his son Douglas lived in nearby Dresher, Pa.
Ran Zohar, 38, the owner of Personal Power Martial Arts, in Flourtown, Pa., said that Daniel, Douglas and Douglas's brother Max had taken karate classes from him.
Daniel and Max were black belts and always worked out together. "They were the best kind of people, really, really nice," Mr. Zohar said.
Mid Air Collision Over the Hudson River NYC
60-year-old real estate investment executive from Ambler, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb,
Steven Altman, the pilot of the plane that crashed in the Hudson River, was a son of David Altman, who landed at Iwo Jima in World War II as a Marine and was awarded a Purple Heart. David Altman, now 87, also flew small planes and lived close to Wings Field, the airport in Blue Bell, Pa., that Steven Altman took off from early on Saturday.
Mr. Altman's brother Daniel Altman, 49, and Daniel's son Douglas Altman, 16, also were on board the plane when it crashed.
Steven Altman had had a pilot's license for more than 30 years, his uncle Irving Altman said. "He always liked flying," he said. Steven Altman was certified to fly single- and multiple-engine aircraft and to make instrument landings.
Like his father, he flew missions for Angel Flight East, which provides free air transportation for medical patients and their families. "He flies more than the norm," said Tom Dougherty, president of Montgomery County Aviation, who had fueled Mr. Altman's plane regularly. "He was a strong pilot."
In partnership with his father, he bought the airplane he was flying on Saturday from Michael V. Chiodo, another amateur pilot, about 10 years ago. The Piper single-engine aircraft was manufactured in 1976 but had been fitted with new engines recently, Mr. Chiodo said.
Mr. Altman left Wings Field at 7:14 a.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board. He arrived at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and picked up a passenger, possibly his nephew, Douglas. A friend told The Record, of Bergen County, that Douglas had spent several weeks on a tour of Alaska, Hawaii and the West Coast.
After a layover of about 30 minutes, the plane was cleared for takeoff at 11:49 a.m. It disappeared from radar four minutes later.
Mr. Chiodo said he was on the phone with David Altman on Saturday when Steven Altman was identified on television as the pilot of the plane in the crash. "He says, ‘Oh my God, that's my son,' " Mr. Chiodo recalled. "We were planning on going flying in another airplane ride on Saturday. It's upsetting, more than you'll ever know."
Daniel Altman, who worked in a family real estate business with his brother, and his son Douglas lived in nearby Dresher, Pa.
Ran Zohar, 38, the owner of Personal Power Martial Arts, in Flourtown, Pa., said that Daniel, Douglas and Douglas's brother Max had taken karate classes from him.
Daniel and Max were black belts and always worked out together. "They were the best kind of people, really, really nice," Mr. Zohar said.
60-year-old real estate investment executive from Ambler, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb,
Steven Altman, the pilot of the plane that crashed in the Hudson River, was a son of David Altman, who landed at Iwo Jima in World War II as a Marine and was awarded a Purple Heart. David Altman, now 87, also flew small planes and lived close to Wings Field, the airport in Blue Bell, Pa., that Steven Altman took off from early on Saturday.
Mr. Altman's brother Daniel Altman, 49, and Daniel's son Douglas Altman, 16, also were on board the plane when it crashed.
Steven Altman had had a pilot's license for more than 30 years, his uncle Irving Altman said. "He always liked flying," he said. Steven Altman was certified to fly single- and multiple-engine aircraft and to make instrument landings.
Like his father, he flew missions for Angel Flight East, which provides free air transportation for medical patients and their families. "He flies more than the norm," said Tom Dougherty, president of Montgomery County Aviation, who had fueled Mr. Altman's plane regularly. "He was a strong pilot."
In partnership with his father, he bought the airplane he was flying on Saturday from Michael V. Chiodo, another amateur pilot, about 10 years ago. The Piper single-engine aircraft was manufactured in 1976 but had been fitted with new engines recently, Mr. Chiodo said.
Mr. Altman left Wings Field at 7:14 a.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board. He arrived at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and picked up a passenger, possibly his nephew, Douglas. A friend told The Record, of Bergen County, that Douglas had spent several weeks on a tour of Alaska, Hawaii and the West Coast.
After a layover of about 30 minutes, the plane was cleared for takeoff at 11:49 a.m. It disappeared from radar four minutes later.
Mr. Chiodo said he was on the phone with David Altman on Saturday when Steven Altman was identified on television as the pilot of the plane in the crash. "He says, ‘Oh my God, that's my son,' " Mr. Chiodo recalled. "We were planning on going flying in another airplane ride on Saturday. It's upsetting, more than you'll ever know."
Daniel Altman, who worked in a family real estate business with his brother, and his son Douglas lived in nearby Dresher, Pa.
Ran Zohar, 38, the owner of Personal Power Martial Arts, in Flourtown, Pa., said that Daniel, Douglas and Douglas's brother Max had taken karate classes from him.
Daniel and Max were black belts and always worked out together. "They were the best kind of people, really, really nice," Mr. Zohar said.
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