Personal Injury Litigation Blog

According to a recent report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the helicopter wreckage from the August 8, 2009 mid-air crash that took the lives of nine people was recently found and excavated from the Hudson River.  Recovery teams have also located the plane involved in the helicopter crash, and are working towards recovering the aircraft from the murky waters of the Hudson.  According to Debbie Hersman, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), “…hopeful they’ll be able to pull up” the plane soon.

The wreckage of a helicopter is lifted by crane from the Hudson River. (Seth Wenig - AP)

The small plane was carrying only two passengers in addition to the pilot, while the helicopter was carrying a total of six people, pilot included.  All but two of the bodies have been recovered.  Both pilots were experienced, and pre-existing medical conditions that may have contributed towards causing the crash were not known to afflict either.  According to the NTSB, “the investigation into the crash is expected to take months.”

Though there has not yet been official word as to the cause of the aviation accident, it was reported by witnesses that the plane clipped the helicopter with its wing, thus causing the pilots of both aircraft to lose control.  It has been widely criticized that the airspace over the Hudson River is not monitored well enough, and that the probability of accidents occurring is relatively high as a result.  Furthermore, according to the NTSB, federal oversight of helicopter tours is not rigorous enough, and it can therefore be speculated that this lax regulatory watch may have contributed to causing the accident as well.

The attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle are monitoring new developments regarding this air disaster as they unfold. Our skilled Los Angeles aviation disaster attorneys have experience handling cases involving charter plane accidents, private plane accidents, commercial airlines and helicopters. We have taken leadership roles in high profile aviation disaster cases and have the resources and knowledge to handle yours. For more information, please contact the Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Panish, Shea & Boyle at 1-866-992-1700.