ANN REALTIME UPDATE 10.12.06 1635 EDT: Investigators with the NTSB are questioning a certified flight instructor who flew with Cory Lidle "numerous times" before Wednesday's crash of the pilot's Cirrus SR20 into a New York highrise apartment building, as part of the board's comprehensive investigation into the accident.

At a press briefing from the scene of the accident Thursday afternoon, NTSB spokesperson Debbie Hersman said there is no confirmation of any kind of 'mayday' call prior to the accident, contrary to early reports. The board has not determined whether Lidle or his passenger, flight instructor Tyler Stanger, was flying the plane at the time of the accident.

Hersman said investigators have gathered radar returns from several sources, and were able to recreate most of the plane's flight path. Hersman said the plane flew south from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport above the Hudson River, before turning around the Statue of Liberty and then flying north towards Manhattan along the East River.

The accident aircraft executed a 180 degree turn, back to the south, shortly before the plane impacted the north face of the 50-story Belaire tower, according to the NTSB.

Hersman said crews have also recovered several items from the aircraft, including a memory chip from the plane's multifunction display. The chip suffered heavy thermal damage, however, and is bent... which may limit the amount of information investigators are able to recover from it.

Evidence suggests the plane's propeller was turning when the plane impacted the building, Hersman added -- suggesting the plane's engine was functional at the time of the accident.

Hersman also stated the rocket used to deploy the plane's ballistic recovery parachute showed evidence of being thermally detonated -- meaning, the heat of the post-impact fire may have set the rocket off. The plane's parachute was still packed tightly, Hersman added.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov