Return to Transcripts main page

Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Awaiting News Conference On Harrison Ford Plane Crash; NTSB: Pilot Absolutely Lucky To Survive; Plane Skids Off Runway Nearly Into Water; Storm Strands Hundreds On Interstate; Fallout For Ferguson Police Chief?; Survivors No Longer Afraid After Facing Bomber

Aired March 05, 2015 - 21:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: ... 178 engine failure, requesting immediate return.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arion 178, this is runway 21 clear to land.

FORD: I'll go to three.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arion 178 running three clear to land?

Ford: Sorry, can you say your last location.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the three I didn't -- it looks like there were short on the runway up by BOR (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, AC360 HOST: So you've heard he called into the radio tower. The radio tower initially told to go run 21. He then informed them that wasn't going to possible -- named another runway to go to. His at the hospital being treated for his injuries, he's son Ben Ford just tweeted "At the hospital. Dad is OK. Battered, but OK. He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredible strong man. Thank you all for your thoughts and good vibes for my dad."

He's obviously a long time dedicated pilot who's flown six-wing aircraft and helicopters for many years. It is neither is only plane of his first emergency. In fact he's also made a force landing in helicopter. He had a co-pilot though for that.

Kyung Lah is at the crash site, very close to the aircraft itself. She joins us now with late details. Are investigators are still on the scene there?

KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They're still on the scene. We understand that this press conference is going to be happening momentarily. I'm actually watching them gather around the microphones right now, Anderson. What they're looking at is what causes this, what happen.

We're now hearing some witnesses. There was a witness we spoke just a short time ago and he said that he actually heard the engine stopped. He heard the engine fail, he says that not particularly unusual when you talk about older planes like this. But he assumed that it would start again.

But it sounded like he said the propeller simply stop and then it just never started. And so, then this is what happened. The other thing he said was, you know, that this is an area that has seen plane crashes before.

COOPER: Kyung, I understand the news conference is starting. Let's listen to that.

LAH: But they don't usually ever receive...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... Assistant Chief Patrick Butler from Los Angeles Fire Department. And then we'll have investigator Patrick Jones NTSB. We'll take a few questions after that. And then we'll -- this will be the last briefing of the night as far as I know. So, we're kicking it off right now with Assistant Chief Patrick Butler. Do you guys ready?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, here we go.

PATRICK BUTLER, ASSISTANT CHIEF LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT: Good, right OK. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Patrick Butler Assistant Chief Los Angeles Fire Depart. Today I'm gathered with representatives in NTSB and the Deputy Chief and the LAPD bureau Chief Bea Girmala. So I'm going to give you an overview of our initial actions here from the fire department prospective and then the NTSB will speak to the internet itself and that will be any follow ups from that end.

At approximately 2:20 p.m. this afternoon the Los Angeles fire department receive a 911 call of an airplane crash in the Penmar Golf Course. Lost Angeles City firefighters and paramedics arrive on seen and found a single engine place that had crash here on the gulf course with one male 70 year old occupant. It appeared to be a solo occupant in an aircraft.

All ready on scene at that time were resources from the Santa Monica fire department. This incident involves Santa Monica Fire Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the NTSB, the FAA and other agencies.

The paramedics rendered first care to the individual. The patient was alert, was talking, was breathing, had some injuries and paramedics were able to initiate care. He's final mobilization and then transported into local hospital where he was moderate to fair condition.

There was no fire, no evidence of fire. We check the area for any other hazards. And there is a small debris field here where the plane landed. Other than that our fire department resources will maintain here through the night and assist with the other agencies involved. Like I say our resources are right on seen and transported one 70 year old male occupant to local hospital and he is in moderate to stable condition at this time.

With that I'd like to bring up the representative of from the NTSB.

PATRICK JONES, INVESTIGATOR NTSB: Good afternoon my name is Patrick Jones. I'm an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. The first most important thing is that we have had injuries and we hope that the family and the pilot to all recovered in a rapid period of time. Approximately 14:20 this afternoon, there was Arion aircraft, a vintage aircraft that was taking off from Santa Monica.

The pilot reported a lost of engine power and was attempting to return to the runway. It appears that he clipped a top of three and came to rest on a gulf course. As the chief said there was only one person on board who was treated by witnesses and transported for -- to the hospital.

At this time the NTSB has started an investigation with the FAA in attendance and our goal is -- tonight to do some on seen documentation. We will ultimately return -- recover the aircraft tomorrow morning to local facility and continue the investigation. And our process is kind of slow process and I'm sure that there's going to be some questions about what cause this, and what that, and if solved it. At this point in time it is the very beginning of an investigation. It takes us a long time because we want it get it right. So I will not answer any questions that have anything to do with causation at this point in time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because (inaudible) about the pilot or (inaudible) those thing you can't (inaudible). When you talk about a situation like this, you know, pilot survive, is this pilot very lucky?

JONES: Most accidents -- there about 2,000 accidents a year. The question was. Was this pilot lucky? Absolutely a pilot in any time a human being is involved in an accident is a lucky individual. But having said that, there are over 2,000 accidents a year nationwide that involved varying levels of injuries none to fatalities.

The -- It is annual actually for pilot to lose their lives because aviation is a pretty safe operation. But there are events that it happen as I said. Anytime somebody can get out any type of accident whether it's a car or whatever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible) characterize this isn't never been behind that in every of (inaudible) basic in this point (inaudible).

JONES: I'm not even going to go there. There's no way to -- your talking where you're asking to analyze something at this...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .... base on (inaudible) did you see this far the plane between the lands right (inaudible) out. It's barely intact. Does this look in the (inaudible) is down in a remote area (inaudible) done. JONES: I would say anytime that a pilot survives an accident or in any case that was a good thing.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: I can not -- All I know is what the fire department has told me. We have not been in touch with anybody at the hospital and that's -- we believe that he going to survive at this point.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... a little bit you said It appear this pilot left Santa Monica airport, took off and then getting circled back around and then attempt to come back in the runway or...

JONES: I'm actually responding to the information of the ATC tapes that are about apparently are even played because that's where I heard it from. The pilot reported a lost of engine power and was attempting to return.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: Next question.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: That requires speculation that I can't make at this point.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Jones, do you think inexperienced pilot can result -- could have been (inaudible)?

JONES: 40,000 people a year die on automobile accident every year on the highway and when there's accident that somebody doesn't die and you don't get that question so, I don't know at this point.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible) land a plane like this going to lose its power?

JONES: Flying an aircraft whether is this aircraft or a helicopter or whatever. It all takes experience. This pilot is an experience pilot and I'll say that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is the standard procedure investigating an airplane like this, it doesn't have a black box, does it? I mean, so where do you start? By a (inaudible) turning around?

JONES: The question was this aircraft doesn't have black box. No, it does not have a black box. This is an old vintage aircraft. There are many aircraft's that do not have what you referred to is a black box, nor that requires to have a black box. The problem is that we've investigated accidents for decades and it's only been on last few decades that black boxes actually exist, so we go back to the basics. The initial report was a lost of engine power. We are going to look at that but we're going to look it at all, at everything whether man, the machine. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Another question, why (inaudible) pilot always they are recommend not to turnaround to the airport? We heard that many times today in the news that usually the procedure is not making a huge turn coming back to the airport. Why is that actually? I haven't any clue.

JONES: In return to airport depends on what altitude you're at. And I don't know what altitude this pilot was at the point and time that he chose to do that, so I have no way of knowing whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. And if you're going to slam into a wall maybe turning away is your only option.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This are is surrounded by homes, how difficult it is the descend when you're dealing engine troubles to a area like this old golf course?

JONES: Well, I'm sure the pilot was glad that there was an airport here -- I mean that there was a golf course here.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: No. There are -- and I know that that's a local -- this is a local issue, but it is -- this airport is a very important airport and there's a lot of business that comes in and out to this airport. I don't know when the last accident was here, but it's I don't think it is -- flying safe if it's done right.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: The investigation normally is it takes a couple of months and normally a final report we try to get done within a year.

(OFF-MIKE)

JONES: I do not know. He asked where the plan was headed. I do not know.

(OFF-MIKE)

JONES: I will say this one more time. Anytime a human being is involve in an accident whether it's a car, jet, airplane, or otherwise and survives is a good day.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: I do not have that information.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do we know where the plane was headed?

JONES: I do not know where the plan was headed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you talk about how much time left (inaudible) take off and (inaudible)?

JONES: That is data that we will capture but at this point and time I do not know.

(OFF-MIKE)

JONES: The question was whether this was (inaudible). My understanding is and all I know is that I heard the ATC recording on the news and the pilot reported they had an engine failure and was returning to the airport. And I believe those were his words.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From you experience...

JONES: It's not an immediate at this point.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From your experience obviously he was taking off, right, from the distance, from the airport to here, how high what you think the altitude was?

JONES: I can not -- will not speculate on that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How far is he from the landing where the crash occurred, how far is it to get to the landing street?

JONES: Well, the airport is right over there. Its 100 yards or 200 or 300 yards somewhere in that. I do not know how far away the airport -- the runway is from here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One more question for you. One more question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible) standards or (inaudible) or special training to the pilots?

JONES: I will say that this pilot is an experienced pilot. And the airplane obviously is vintage to airplane. It's a simpler airplane, so it's got its own idiosyncrasies whatever they are. I've never flown in this particular aircraft, so I don't know what it may or may not have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When will the next briefing?

JONES: I'm not planning on doing another briefing. I will give you a phone number and it is a phone number that you guys can call and it's to our PIO.

COOPER: You listened to a press conference. You just listened to an official from the NTSB there. Joining us CNN Aviation Analyst and Private Pilot Miles O'Brien and CNN Safety Analyst David Soucie.

David Soucie, in terms of the investigation obviously the official from the NTSB making a big point that this is not going to, you know, overnight process. This is going to be some that's going to take a long amount of time. Do you have a sense of what kind of timeline they're talking about?

DAVID SOUCIE, CNN SAFETY ANALYST: It will take at least a week or two to get the aircraft just to a facility and start that the disassembly of the aircraft but it can take the NTSB as much -- as long as two years to come out with the final report, but I would expect that this would be resolved at least within the next three to four months but it could easily take that long.

COOPER: So they take the aircraft apart just as they would in a, you know, a larger crash?

SOUCIE: Absolutely. There is really little difference between the smaller aircraft accident investigations than larger aircraft accident investigations in this case.

COOPER: Miles, you know, we heard from -- obviously, NTSB doesn't want to talk to much about or speculate about what may have happened to this aircraft. But we do know and awful lot just simply from the radio communications between Harrison Ford and the tower. I mean it seemed pretty clear there was engine failure shortly after take off.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Yes, I don't think that's in doubt. Obviously, the NTSB has to be very circumspect about releasing facts and that's understandable but just knowing what I know about that airport and what we heard on the transmissions that he took off, he loss his engine, turned around, try to making back to the airport, landed on the golf court and did a great job within on forced landing.

You know, the focus of the investigation will be the engine. What caused it to fail? Was there some problem with oil, the fuel, or did the -- was there a mechanical aspect of it? Didn't sees up in some ways so they may take engine apart and should be able to make that determination fairly quickly.

Obviously no black boxes on this aircraft but you have a pilot who is getting stitched up as we speak and we'll give an interview. And it will be very clear pretty quickly when a trained mechanical looks at that engine, what happened.

COOPER: Yeah, we're going to take a short break. Miles and David, stay with us. More talk about that when we come back.

Not only this story continuous to unfold, a live update from the scene and what we're learning about the airliner that slid off a runway here in Snowy New York today. We're going to hear from passengers who had a window seat as the water got closer and closer and closer, some scary seconds there onboard on Delta flight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well you it just moment ago from the NTSB Harrison Ford lucky to have survive the force landing just after takeoff from Santa Monica Municipal airport. It lost power, tried to turn back, land on the opposite end of the runway. He just taken off from -- you heard his emergency call, calm, cool, he knew what he want us to do and then settle the apparently plan B. This was not his first hard landing, we should point out.

Here he is talking about a rough one back in the mid 90s, in a helicopter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: I'm back in for the approach, the approach was good. I did that terrible thing or your doing it (inaudible) but knows will bounce (inaudible). I want (inaudible) runway like nothing I never seen. I got so (inaudible) ways and over the grass before I got the power in to go around. It was ugly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: That was my mistake. He wasn't talking about a helicopter there. He did have a hard landing in a helicopter, at that time he had a co-pilot in that helicopter. Kyung Lah is on the scene. She joins us once again. So we've heard from the NTSB, sounds like they're going to have people there, really overnight as the fire department is overnight as they are gathering as much information as they can.

KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. You can see that there's actually a switch out of engines here. The fire department are looking like they're going to be here throughout the night, there are going to be lights that are put up. They're saying here mainly as a precaution to make nothing happens with this plane itself.

They certainly look like they have not intention of moving it anytime soon, not at least next few hours or so. But the NTSB did point out that the engine failed, that the pilot lost tower. That is something that we're hearing, also from people who actually heard the engine fail from the ground, they could hear it. Here's what one witness told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS LUCKING, WITNESS: Planes don't crash all the time. Obviously, I mean, I think the last time was about five years ago, that crash was almost right outside the house, on the gold course as well. But you hear them quite often that the engines go out a little bit but typically they, you know, they come back on and everything is OK. But this one, you know, maybe today is another one that goes down, like today.

LAH: When you heard, tell me specifically, what did you hear...

LUCKING: We just -- the engine cutout, but we hear that all the time, so that's nothing -- that's not that special. You hear that quite often. And then typically the engine comes on again. So sometimes they just go on, you know, like when you have an old car and it doesn't run quite well. The (inaudible) is not clean. It's similar to that. The sound of it is similar to that. I don't know what these engines are like, but I'm assuming because there's a lot of old planes as well as new ones.

But that's what happens, that sometimes the old engines just don't work and that's what happen here as far as what I've -- that's what I've heard.

LAH: So you heard this engine actually stop? LUCKING: I heard it stop. I hear it having problems and then he turned around, I think so when he was right by the house, the engine cutout. And then he turnaround and that's why I've heard out, he said he turnaround, he would try to get back to the airport. So I didn't hear the actual crash. I just -- I hear them in -- right above, when right above the house. And like I say, it's not the first time that I heard an engine make that kind of noise.

LAH: And you weren't alarmed. You say you heard it again but weren't alarmed when you heard the engine stop.

LUCKING: We -- It's not the first time, and typically they come back. So like them, they cutout a little bit and they come back. So it happens, it happens a lot.

LAH: And the old planes, how many old planes are laying around...

LUCKING: I have no idea. But I know there's a lot of collectors out there that have old planes. A friend of mine has a plane up there as well. So, you know, it's -- I love the planes, they're beautiful and I think they're much nicer than the jets and I like seeing them. So I enjoy that part of it. And when I grew up we had a tiny little airport and it kind of reminds me of home where I grew up. But...

LAH: What do you think about the way he landed? He landed in a free space.

LUCKING: I think it's amazing that he made it back. I mean I'm -- he must be a very good pilot. And I thin he's got -- my neighborhood I guess knows any -- they were saying that he has a number of planes and he must be a pretty good pilot, not just acting as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: And that neighbor as well as many others here say they are very grateful that he's such a good pilot. Because where they plane is, that you see behind me, 30 feet near these houses, maybe about 40 feet. They are very, very lucky that this -- he managed to land in this free space, Anderson.

COOPER: Yeah. Kyung, thank you very much for your reporting. Back now Miles O'Brien And David Soucie. And for viewers who weren't watching in the last hour, this airport is extreme and this golf course is very close. I mean it's in the midst of a residential community. Residential community which is really build up around this airport, because it's been there, as you said since the early part of the 1900.

O'BRIEN: Yeah, it goes back to, I think about 1919 as when they first started flying around there. And of course, really the real history there was the old Douglas Aircraft Company, the predecessor that made the MD-80, which...

COOPER: Right.

O'BRIEN: ... we saw at LaGuardia today. COPPER: And you can see in this picture, I mean, you can see if we put that back in the screen, you can see the aircraft there on the green, flash of yellow there, on the green. And you get a sense of really how close it is to that street, how close it is to those residences and perhaps office buildings just across the street.

O'BRIEN: Yeah. Since 1919, Santo Monica (inaudible) has changed a little bit, shall we say.

COOPER: Sure.

O'BRIEN: And the area has absolutely grown right up to the edge of that runway, as you can see right there. And it's, you know, it's a sore point with the community, the noise there.

COOPER: You also get a sense with this map, just how close he came to getting back to Santa Monica Municipal Airport.

O'BRIEN: Yeah. You have to wonder, if he haven't clipped that tree, you know, might he have made it? Now the airport does set up an (inaudible) there. So he might have been lower than you might think, because the gold course is actually sits below as the terrain goes from the runway itself, it's kind of a bit -- a little bit of a cliff there.

So, you know, I think he, you know, that was what you want to do in this situation.

COOPER: You know, I try to put myself in that situation as the pilot and it's got to be so, I don't now if it's frustrating or I mean, try to (inaudible) the plane along as much as you can while it's, you know, while with the engine out. I mean there's only so much you can do to keep it going.

O'BRIEN: Right. You know, and of course you're thinking about this beautiful aircraft you have too. And not only that, you're trying to preserve your own skin as well. And, you know, this is where, you know, the years and years of flying and training come into play. One of the things that you want to do is, you want to kind of keep pulling back on the stick, hoping you can make your way in, and then you can stall it and end up in a much worst situation.

The important thing to know is to recognize what's your -- what the natural glide soap (ph) would be. There's a best glide rate, there's a speed which is perfect for when the engine is out. And when that happens, you hit that speed and you point the nose. And wherever that nose is pointed, that's where you're heading. You have to accept your faith at that point and then start looking for a place that would be suitable, in this case a fair way of a gold course is perfect.

COOPER: Yeah. Again, clearly he's got a lot of experience and could have been so much worst. Miles, thank you very, David Soucie as well. Up next, crash investigators and cranes surrounding a delta airliner that slit off the runway in New York's LaGuardia Airport. Again, you've seen the pictures already. I mean it's scary stuff how close this plane came to the water. That live picture there, you see they're going to hoisting that plane up. We'll take a closer look exactly what happen.

And we're going to hear from someone who is onboard, saw the water approaching as the second take by (ph), when we continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: More aviation news. Scary moments here in New York for passengers on board the Delta flight. There it is, the wreck airliner up in an embankment through a fence to a few feet shorter, the water surrounding the LaGuardia Airport. Delta flight 1086 with 132 people onboard, it slid off LaGuardia's runway 13, very nearly against the ice cold water where the East River meets Flushing Bay.

Will Ripley joins us now live from the airport with more. So we saw some cranes that are -- it looked like they're preparing to lift the plane. Do we know how long this process is going to take?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The crane operator tells us it could take several hours or longer because it really is quite a task ahead of them. These two large hydraulic cranes have to pick up this aircraft which is 150 feet long, more than 100,000 pounds and essentially turn it around an place it on a trailer so that they get it off runway 13 which has been close since 11:00 this morning, Anderson.

COOPER: Where did they plan to put plane and once they can actually move it?

RIPLEY: It's believed their going to try to put into hanger here at the airport so that will give investigators easier access to the aircraft. And as far as we know as of the last update, all the passengers belongings, their bags and what are not still on it as well. So the main objective of course is to clear the runway and get this airport back up operation, which is been quite a challenge in cause a lot of headaches here.

COOPER: Yeah, I mean you've been reporting on this all day. Basically the airport was shutdown most of the day. Is it fully operational? What others -- is there just more than one runway going?

RIPLEY: One runway still operation at this late hour which has caused so many flight cancellations. I mean you look at the board, there are still lot of red on it. The red, of course, meaning fight is canceled, people have -- they're on the floor, they're sleeping if they can, just trying to find a comfortable stop to see if there flights will even take off.

Because keep in mind this is one of the busiest airport in the country. In the New York area and you have people from all over that country, all over the world that were hoping to catch flights who are essentially stuck right now as result of this.

COOPER: A totally mess. Will Ripley, thanks very much. The storm that's making runways treacherous like that is unleashing another round of misery from North Texas, to Southern New England and across the south, has dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of Kentucky, stranding 100s of people overnight on two Interstates. Stuck in their vehicles, all they could do was wait for help. Reverend Janette Wilson spent the night stranded on I-65, she still on the interstate tonight.

The good news is she on the move again. She joins me now by phone. Reverend Wilson, I know you're on route from Chicago to Selma Alabama. You certainly didn't plan on spending 15 hours trap inside your car on a highway in Kentucky. What is been like?

REV. JANETTE WILSON, WAS STUCK ON INTERSTATE 65: Well, it's impossible because the I-65 south was literally a parking lot for 15 hours. And the thing that troubles me the most was the lack of preparedness for the storm and the inability of the Kentucky emergency response team to investigate the extent of prices, the impact in people on the road, no one ever interview any of the motorist, no one ever look to see if people were running of gas, if there were persons who or have medical needs.

COOPER: So you basically left out to your own devices for more than 15 hours?

WILSON: We were sitting from 2:30 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. today was no one ever talking to us, no one saying this is what we're doing. (inaudible) raised the crisis. We will be able to move. We have no idea what was going, no ever spoke to us. And once daylight occurred, many people decided to walk down two or three miles to turn on the location of the vehicles to the nearest exit route to the gas station.

Many people abandon vehicles because they running out of gas. And they call -- Many people had to walk to get some nourishment. Some people had children. I don't know if it was unfortunate and it was amazing to see that here we are the richest country in the world, but we don't know how to respond to a national disaster.

COOPER: Did you see.

WILSON: A storm that has been predicted.

COOPER: Did you see emergency vehicles or snowplows, while you're trap?

WILSON: We never saw some emergency vehicles on I-65 south bound. The entire town we were standing still.

COOPER: That's incredible.

WILSON: And that was -- It's just unbelievable. And when the governor finally decided to declare a state of emergency, we were wondering why we never saw a helicopter flying over here to look at the fact that for 30 miles of car were lined up along I-65 south. When we finally started moving this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. at one mile, it seems like one mile an hour. We notice that I-65 going north had the same problem we have with the parking lot.

COOPER: Wow. Well, it just incredible, as you said. I mean to not see emergency vehicles, to have not anyone kind of check on people. It's a scary situation, Reverend Wilson. I appreciate you're taking the time to talk to us. I hope you get on you way and get to your destination. We have one more late development in Harrison Ford story to tell you about his (inaudible) now putting out the following statement.

It reads Harrison was fine a World War II vintage plane today which had engine trouble upon take off. He had no other choice but to make an emergency landing which he did safety. He went on to say he was banged up is in the hospital receiving medical care. The injuries sustain are not life threatening. He's expected to make a full recovery. That's Harrison Ford's publicizes just of moment ago. After really want his son had said also.

Just ahead tonight a big development in the wake of justice department report finding a pattern and practice of racism in the Ferguson police department. A piece of report could mean fall out for the police chief. The question is, where is the police chief? He wasn't at in the press conference yesterday with the part-time mayor. The full- time police chief who gets the salary, he was no show at that. Will he actually comment about what is police force has been up to. Detail is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Tonight, a newly discovered detail in (inaudible) justice department report in policing in Ferguson, that could have a very big impact on Police Chief Tom Jackson. Chief Jackson, if you recall is nowhere to be seen last night as the Mayor of Ferguson read a brief statement on the findings.

The Department of Justice is bottom line a pattern and practice of racism. Investigators uncovered seven truly ugly e-mails and more broadly painted the Ferguson Police Department as thinly bailed money making machine that disproportionately targeted African-Americans for fines and traffic tickets to the tensions and abuse. From now, it appears there is more piece of that report which directly implicated Chief Jackson. Sarah Sinder, joins us now with details. So why is the Chief been so reluctant to answer any questions? Where he has been?

SARAH SINDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well we know this, he has been told not to talk and that is probably, Anderson, because he is implicated in the DOJ report as being an integral part of the problem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Explain, do you think the department has a race problem? Do they have problem and are you going to fix it? What do you going to do about it?

CHIEF THOMAS JACKSON, FERGUSON POLICE: I need to have time to really analyze this report so I can kind of comment to that.

SINDER: Why do you need time to analyze a report? You know what you -- you should have known what was going in your department, correct?

JACKSON: I'll need (inaudible).

SINDER: Right.

SINDER: He should have known and he did know. This is his e-mail, an (inaudible) by the Department of Justice during its investigation. In the 23 e-mail the DOJ highlighted the Chief boasting that court revenue passed a two million mark for the first time in history. The city manager response, "Awesome. Thanks." Apparently, not awesome enough because in another e-mail the city manager tells her colleague, he asked the Chief if he thought the P.D. could deliver a 10 percent increase, adding, he indicated, "they could try" the intense effort to get money through traffic tickets and court fines. And static show African-American bore the band of that.

SINDER: What do you think of the DOJ's report?

JACKSON: I'm still analyzing.

SINDER: You're still looking at it. But do you think you should have known some of the things that came out, the racist e-mails, the numbers, were you just trying to bill people out of money instead of protecting them, telling your department to just go ticket them?

JACKSON: OK, thank you and I will be in touched, get a hold Jeff (ph).

SINDER: I've talked to everyone. I've given you literally every opportunity. We've been talking for days and days and days, all we want is an answer from you. What do you think of this DOJ report and what are you going to do about it? Just any idea what it is you're going to do yourself about it, as a Chief of the department.

JACKSON: I'm going to analyze the report and take action if necessary. OK.

SINDER: Is that mean you're going to stay around?

JACKSON: I'm going to take action when necessary. OK, thank you.

SINDER: Thank you. Are you planning on resigning?

JACKSON: I will let you know.

SINDER: Are you thinking about it?

JACKSON: I've told you that. I've told you that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: What has the Chief told you about resigning?

SINDER: It's interesting. He has told me in the past that he has thought about it. He had thought about it early on a couple of times, but then when we talked to him a bit later after that, he says, "No one going to see thing through. I'm not going to anywhere. I'm going to be here for this department and we're going to work things out." It has gone back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, but we needed to ask him that question, Anderson, because now after this DOJ report, after all of it happened here, after the community has said, "Please, just stepped down. We do not want you running this department anymore", he is still there and we just don't know what's going to happen next, Anderson.

COOPER: Were there other e-mails implicating him or just the one?

SINDER: There were, there were several e-mails and what's interesting when you start really reading this and we've got the protesters out here now, when you start reading through this, what you see is he is responding clearly to pressure mostly from the city manager and so is the top brass and you will hear those responses that you read through. You can really see it. There was a lot of pressure coming on him and it seemed he was trying to pleased his bosses, those in the city, and the city manager as well to try to make sure that they're getting as much revenue as possible from the citizens here or from the people who drive through Ferguson, ticketing, obviously, being a part of that but also court fines as well, Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Sarah Sinder. Sarah, thanks very much. Just ahead, Boston bombing survivor, Rebekah Gregory says that facing her attacker in court has been life changing, a powerful letter she wrote to the bomber and why she says his plan back fired. I talked to her tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Jurors in the Boston bombing trial heard more heartbreaking graphic testimony today, the father of eight-year-old Martin Richard described the agonizing choice he made living his dying son with his injured wife so he can rush their two other children to the hospital.

For two straight days survivors have shown just how strong they are taking the stand, facing their attacker. After testifying yesterday, Rebekah Gregory posted a really extraordinary to the bomber on Facebook. She wrote, "This afternoon, before going in, I'm not going to lie. My palms were sweaty. And sitting up there talking to the prosecution did make me cry. But today, do you know what else happened? Today, I looked at you right in the face and realized I wasn't afraid anymore. But you are a coward. A little boy who wouldn't even look me in the eyes to see that. Because you can't handle the fact that what you tried to destroy, you only made stronger.

I spoke to Rebecca Gregory earlier by phone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Rebekah, I mean, it's something extraordinary and emotional message that you posted on Facebook, how does that feel to basically move forward in such a powerful way?

REBEKAH GREGORY, BOSTON BOMBING SURVIVOR: It feels really incredible and honestly, before I testified I was breaking out. I dreaded this moment for so long. And I think that anticipation of it was just so much more to handle than I haven't realize, then when I actually got up there and sat down and stared at him. I just -- I wasn't scare anymore. And for the first time, I felt like I was almost, you know, helping in bringing justice to something so horrific.

COOPER: I want to read another portion of what you wrote to the bomber. And I really try not to use his name because I just don't think history should remember this guy's name as you remember your name and the names of other survivors and those who lost their lives.

You wrote, "If your eyes would've met mine for just one second, you would've also seen that what you blew up really did blow up. Because now you have given me and the other survivors a tremendous platform to help others, and essentially do our parts in changing the world for the better."

He never looked at you? He didn't look you in the eyes at all?

GREGORY: He wouldn't look at me, no. And I tried several times to get him to look at me, because I think he knew who I was, just because you can kind of feel when somebody is staring at you, but he would never look over. He would just look away and he's a coward in my opinion. He really is.

COOPER: I've talked to some survivors who have very firm opinions about what they believe should happen. Others who've been reflected about even saying what they think should happen. Do you have an opinion in terms of the death penalty or life in prison for this guy?

GREGORY: I don't really have an opinion. I don't feel like it's my judgment to make. And unfortunately, the events with that day, you know, it doesn't change anything if he rot in prison for the rest of his life or if the death penalty. And as far as moving forward with my life, it's not going to help me in worrying about it. And I just -- I can't hold any anger or resentment in my heart because it's going to keep me from moving on and doing the things that I want to do.

COOPER: You really -- you're able not to hold anger or resentment in your heart?

GREGORY: I really -- I'm really not. I'm really sad and it's been very emotional because I'm more sad for the other people that were affected by this. I feel like I've been very bless. And I got one of the best possible outcomes even though I lost my leg. There's people that lost so much more that day and my heart just aches for them. It absolutely does. But I can't be angry and I can't hold on to that, because if I do, then, you know, it's just going to put me in this limbo and I don't want to be in a limbo.

I've been in a limbo for so long and, you know, I've chopped off my leg it because it was holding me back and I'm going to forget about him because that's what he is doing too, is holding me back from living our life.

COOPER: Just -- for our viewers who don't know, technically, you didn't chop off your legs. I just want to make sure to people. GREGORY: It's not like that. The doctor said...

COOPER: The doctor said.

GREGORY: ... I made the decision so let's than chop off.

COOPER: OK. I know you're determined but I -- that would be, you know, taking it very far. I want to read something else you wrote. You said, "So yes, you did take a part of me. Congratulations you now have a leg up literally. But in so many ways, you saved my life. Because now, I am so much more appreciative of every new day I am given. And now, I get to hug my son even tighter than before, blessed that he is thriving, despite everything that has happened."

GREGORY: Yes.

COOPER: It's an amazing perspective that you're able to have on this.

GREGORY: I mean, everybody has their stuff in life, you know, and this is just what mine is and just a small piece of everything and it's a big chapter but I have to move on with it. And so, you know, I am so much appreciative because when life literally flashes before your eyes, you realize how sure everything is. And so, I get to spend the rest of mine loving my family a little more, hugging my son tighter, you know, and view my part, and helping others. I'm kind of that come to that realization.

Hopefully, before they have to go through something as crazy as what I did two years ago.

COOPER: Well Rebecca, it's always amazing to talk to you. Thank you so much and we've just got such a great message. I know we posted a link to it on our website, at AC360.com. So people can read the whole things. So I think it's just really important and also if to have visit your Facebook page.

Thank you so much, Rebecca.

GREGORY: Thank you so much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: An amazing, amazing, woman, just incredible.

Up next, a quick update on the Harrison Ford's plane crash. His condition at the hospital, what the NDSB has said about him being lucky to be alive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In a few seconds we have left, quick update on Harrison Ford's stories publicist, just moments ago telling us he is expected to make a full recovery for injuries he sustained in the force landing of his World War II vintage airplane just after taking off from Santa Monica Municipal Airport. Now, Mr. Ford apparently had engine trouble. He called the tower, tried to make it back to the field. It came up short. The plane landed harder on a golf course, clipped a tree. NDSB says, just steps away from a residential neighborhood. It could have been a whole lot worst. The NDSP already, they have people on the scene. But earlier tonight, Mr. Ford's son Ben tweeted, "At the hospital, dad is OK. Battered, but OK. He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man."

We certainly wish him a speedy recovery. That does it for us. Thanks for watching. CNN Tonight starts now.