KFI is a "Clear Channel" station. That does not mean it is part of Clear Channel Broadcasting Corp., it means that there are no other radio stations broadcasting on 640AM on the west coast. They broadcast 50,000 watts of effective radiated power, while most other AM stations are at 10-20,000 max and reduce power at night. On a clear night, when the signal can skip on the ionosphere, you can probably hear them in Alaska. If you held a flourescent light tube near the tower, it would illuminate in your hand.
The FCC has not granted a clear channel license in over 50 years. In other words, the tower has been there a while, a long while. It will probably be rebuilt as it is far too expensive to re-engineer and approve a new location for a transmitter, and they own the tower site, a very expensive chunk of Southern California real estate.
If it was a high rise building that had been there for 60 years, would you advocate its removal?
While I hate to hear of anyone hurt or killed in an aviation related accident, and my condolences go out to the families, I think advocating safer pilots might be in order. I flew around this tower while flying traffic watch for KNX-AM and I know it well. It is well marked on the sectional and terminal chart, as well as NOAA and Jeppesen charts. The pilot is required to have a current copy of at least one of these charts on board. The pilot should have known it was there. It was clear and over 150 miles visibility on that day, in fact I flew over the area three times at 7000 ft that morning and there wasn't a cloud within 200 miles. A mild Santa-Ana wind was blowing and it was a picture perfect day.
You have to look out the window, and if your vision is obscured, you need to know what's out there before you fly there.
Just my humble offering...
