US baseball star has died after his small aircraft crashed into a high-rise building in the centre of New York. Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, 34, and his flying instructor died when their plane slammed into the apartment block.

Authorities have ruled out terrorism but the incident initially caused jet fighters to be scrambled above major cities in the United States. The impact sent flames leaping from windows of the 52-storey building in Manhattan?s Upper East Side district. Aircraft parts and debris were scattered around the crash site.

It was not immediately clear if it was Lidle, who owned the four-seater plane, who was flying the aircraft. Only he and his instructor were on board the plane. Police say they are investigating the cause of the crash, which took place in overcast weather, as an accident A spokesman said that while suicide could not be ruled out, there was nothing to suggest that this had been the cause of the crash.

New York residents described how the incident evoked memories of the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York?s World Trade Center.