Milan crash throws up questions

MILAN, Italy (CNN) -- As Italian authorities try to discover why a private plane crashed into Italy's tallest building, CNN's Jim Boulden reports from the scene of the crash.

The smoke has gone out but there are still documents flying out of the windows like a ticker-tape parade.

The building is thin so you can see the debris fall out of the windows from both sides. I've not seen anything like it. Because the plane did not have much fuel onboard there was no explosion and the plane is still wedged in the building -- though you cannot see it.

Survivors described the incident as like being in an earthquake. I spoke to one person who had been on the eighth floor at the time of the incident who said the air was sucked in.

It is not believed to be necessary to pull down the building -- it has been very strongly constructed and withstood the impact.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO A small private plane slammed into Milan's tallest building, killing at least three people and injuring dozens. CNN's Jim Clancy reports (April 18) Play video Plane punched holes in both side of the building. (April 18) Play video   MORE STORIES • Witnesses talk of Milan plane horror  • New Yorkers' first thought: 'Not again'  • Chronology: Skyscraper disasters    EXTRA INFORMATION CNN Access: Milan crash evokes terror fears    RESOURCES • Gallery: Pictures of the crash scene  • The flight path  • The Pirelli building

A huge number of documents are everywhere, they are still falling out of the windows. Toilet rolls are waving in the breeze.

Glass also covers the floor from broken windows in the building and surrounding property including vehicles.

The traffic system is in chaos as some of the key routes are blocked off. Commuters coming in by train and getting out at the station next to the building are standing staring at the mess.

Thousands of people are mingling with the international press who are here. The local press has given over pages and pages and pages to the incident.

One paper has a seven page supplement in addition to the 12 pages dedicated to the plane crash in its main section.

The atmosphere has gone from thoughts of terrorism to it being an accident to "let's wait and see." There is speculation about suicide in the newspapers. The plane hit the building with extraordinary precision.

It is a built-up area here with no green fields for the pilot to have landed, but the question is what he was doing in the north of the city when he was told by air traffic control to head to the west.

Also there were no reports of technical problems with the engine -- it was the undercarriage which was not working.

Staff who worked in the Pirelli Building are turning up for work and being called to one side by megaphone where they are asked to fill in forms about which floor they worked on and what they need before being sent to a different building.

Only managers and rescue workers seem to be going into the Pirelli Building. You can see the firemen peering out of the windows on the affected floors implying the internal structure is not badly damaged. Sniffer dogs remain on the scene though just in case it is believed anybody is trapped.