Aviation Accidents

According to a CNN report, a French court ruled on December 6 that criminal negligence on the part of Continental Airlines and one of the company’s mechanics partially caused a Concorde supersonic jet to catch fire, and crash into a hotel during takeoff at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on July 25, 2000. The crash of the plane, Air France Flight 4590, killed 113 people.

It was determined that a Continental Airlines DC-10 plane that took off moments before Flight 4590 played a key role in the aviation disaster. Allegedly, a strip of titanium fell off the DC-10. Investigators state that the titanium strip was not installed properly on the engine of the DC-10, which led to charges made against the airline and the mechanic. An attorney for the airline disputed the charges, saying that the problems with the Concorde were evident decades before the accident; and therefore Continental should not be blamed.

Further investigation exposed the chain of events that brought down the plane shortly following takeoff from the airport. It was discovered that a tire under the left wing of the craft exploded during takeoff when it came in contact with the titanium strip on the runway. Bits of the blown tire went into the plane’s wing, which caused the fuel tank to burst, which sparked the fire and caused the accident. The disaster killed 100 passengers aboard the plane, as well as nine crew members and four people on the ground.

As a result, Continental Airlines was fined 202,000 Euros (about $268,400 USD) and was also ordered to pay 1 million Euros to Air France, which had operated the flight. The mechanic was fined 2,000 Euros (about $2,656 USD) and also received a 15-months suspended prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Additionally, aircraft manufacturer EADS was found to be partially responsible for the accident and was ordered to pay 30 percent of compensation to victims that were involved in the lawsuit. Air France had already paid unspecified damages to the families of the majority of the victims of the accident. The accident of Air France Flight 4590 is the only occurrence of a Concorde airplane crash.

Also named in the lawsuit were the mechanic’s former supervisor and three French officials that were in charge of the Concorde’s design, testing, and certification. They were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Charges against them had stated that they could have acted earlier to fix the plane’s well-known design flaws. Air France discontinued use of the supersonic jets in 2003.

The aviation accident attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have many years of experience successfully litigating aviation accident cases when it is determined negligence caused an airplane crash. We have the necessary resources to obtain full and just compensation for the family members of victims who have lost their lives in aviation accidents. If you have lost a loved one in a plane crash, our attorneys are here to help. Call our law office today for a free consultation at 1-877-800-1700.

According to The Glendale News-Press, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released a draft report that details several safety issues at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.

The report addresses the proximity of the passenger terminal to the runway, which FAA officials have long found are too close. In 1986, the agency prohibited aircraft from taking off to the east because of safety concerns. Planes taking off to the west are safely in the air before they near the terminal and were not affected by the changes. In April of 2010, two airplanes flew precariously close to one another above the airfield, which was determined to be caused by air traffic controller error. An investigation into the incident raised once more the issue of runway safety at the airport.

The FAA report requests that the airport conduct several safety upgrades, and also discusses the option of relocating the airport terminal so it is further away from the runways. According to the report, “the airport passenger terminal location presents significant risks and compromises airport design safety standards.” Airport officials state they will make the modest adjustment requested by the FAA, which includes working with a nearby property owner to relocate a windmill as well as relocating a weather sensor near runways. They will also strengthen blast walls that help redirect aircraft exhaust. Regarding the location of the terminal, a spokesperson for the airport says that concerns have existed for many years and can’t be resolved immediately.

According to the airport spokesperson, there have not been any accidents or incidents that have caused significant danger or injury to anyone in the terminals relating to the safety issues addressed in the report. There have also been several ballot measures that have passed which limit the options for relocating the terminal away from runways, which further complicates matters. A spokesperson for the FAA states that the draft report is not final, and the agency does not have an exact timeframe for addressing the safety concerns at Bob Hope Airport.

Along with pilots and other airport personnel, including aircraft mechanics and air traffic controllers, airports themselves have a responsibility to ensure the safety of those both on the ground and in the air. If you have been injured in a commercial airplane crash, the Los Angeles aviation accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your injury from negligent parties. Our attorneys have successfully litigated airplane crash cases for many years and can help you understand what legal options are available to you. Contact our law office today by calling 1-877-800-1700 to learn how we can help.

Bloomberg reports new information regarding the airplane accident that killed former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens. An investigation has concluded that rescuers could have reached the site of the crash many hours earlier if a mechanism designed to alert them had correctly worked.

The aircraft had a transmitter that is designed to indicate its position via satellite to air-traffic controllers, other aircraft, and emergency personnel with compatible receivers. While the plane’s transmitter was working, it had come apart from an antenna and mounting bracket, so signals were not received.

The Alaska airplane accident occurred around 2:40 p.m. on August 9, 2010 into a mountainside about 10 miles northeast of Aleknagik and killed five of nine passengers aboard the DeHavilland DHC-3T plane that was built in 1957. Rescuers did not locate the aircraft until about 7:30 p.m. Unfortunately, the night and poor weather conditions did not allow rescuers to get to the plane until the following day. According to the NTSB, if the transmitter had not become detached, it is probable that the signal would have been identified sooner and rescuers could have then been directly dispatched to the crash site hours earlier. The NTSB did not state whether more victims could have survived if a rescue had been sooner.

The findings of the investigation have prompted the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to recommend that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) require small aircraft operators to make sure transmitters are mounted properly during yearly inspections. The NTSB also recommended that the FAA conduct an investigation of their own to determine if their mounting requirements are sufficient. U.S. safety investigators have stated they wish to immediately begin inspections of thousands of private aircraft to guarantee onboard transmitters are properly secured.

If you have suffered injuries from a small aircraft crash, the California private plane accident attorneys can help determine if a pilot, mechanic, or manufacturer’s error or negligence contributed to the accident and your subsequent injury and expenses. Our attorneys have many years of experience litigating aircraft accident litigation and have an unmatched record of success. We understand the complexity of the laws that surround airplane accidents and can help you understand your legal rights. Contact our law firm today by calling 1-877-800-1700 to schedule your free consultation.

The Contra Costa Times reports that Delta Airlines Flight 1299 en route to Hawaii experienced problems with its hydraulic system about 30 minutes into the flight. The plane returned to LAX to make an emergency landing on Tuesday afternoon, January 4.

The aircraft, a Boeing 757-200 jet, departed LAX at 3:20 p.m. bound for Kona, Hawaii. Shortly into the flight, the crew became aware of the problem and the pilot was able to make a safe, emergency landing back at LAX at about 4:50 p.m. According to an airport spokesperson, there were 185 passengers aboard the plane, and no injuries were immediately reported. When it landed, the jetliner was met by military-size trucks that were carrying hundreds of gallons of water and operated by the Los Angeles Fire Department, but no fires broken out. A witness to the landing reported that after the aircraft landed, it was unable to retract its flaps.

Aircraft hydraulic systems are used by pilots for flight control, actuation of flaps, slats, landing gear, and brakes. It is crucial the system is in good working order before takeoff; otherwise, a fire or a system failure could result and potentially cause an accident.

Aviation accidents often impose devastating consequences for all involved, and can result in severe injuries and fatalities. Even if someone survives a commercial airlines crash, they may face life-altering injuries and years of rehabilitation, in addition to emotional trauma. The Los Angeles aviation disaster attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP provide legal assistance to anyone who has been injured or who has lost a family member in an airplane accident. Our lawyers have many years of experience successfully litigating airplane accidents. Call 1-877-800-1700 to learn how we can help you hold the negligent persons responsible for your injuries liable.

The Nevada Appeal reports that a girl who was seriously injured in a Nevada plane accident at the Truckee Tahoe Airport has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the two pilots of the aircraft. The lawsuit alleges the two pilots acted negligently by filling the Cessna P206B airplane with a surplus of fuel before taking off.

The aviation accident occurred on September 7, 2009. The girl, who was 14 at the time, was accompanying a family bound for San Jose, California. The husband and wife were piloting the plane when it crashed. As a result of the plane accident, the girl broke her back in six places, and sustained other injuries, including bruised lungs, four cracked ribs, a brain hemorrhage, a concussion, and a massive contusion to her chest. According to her attorney, she still suffers from ongoing injuries related to the airplane crash.

According to the lawsuit, the accident was the result of the two pilots’ negligence. The injured girl claims they loaded the aircraft with an excessive amount of fuel because it was cheaper at the Truckee Tahoe airport than in San Jose, and thus made the plane weigh too much for takeoff. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report of the crash recorded the airplane’s weight at about 3,396 pounds. The maximum weight for the Cessna P206B plane is 3,600 pounds. However, the lawsuit claims that the pilots disregarded the high-density altitude of the Truckee Tahoe Airport, and failed to load the plane properly in relation to atmospheric conditions to guarantee the plane would have adequate climbing performance.

In response to the lawsuit, the pilots state that preflight preparations were conducted within the normal parameters for safety and that they made appropriate modifications to the plane to operate properly in Truckee’s weather conditions. Also, they report the airplane was equipped with a Short Takeoff and Landing kit (STOL) that allowed the aircraft to fly at a lower speed than an unmodified, standard aircraft.

It is the responsibility of all pilots to ensure their passengers’ safety when onboard an aircraft. Additionally, if a pilot makes a modification to a plane or its cargo, during preflight preparations or at another time, and these modifications cause the aircraft to crash, the pilot can be held legally responsible for any injuries or fatalities.

If you have been injured in a small airplane accident that was caused by a pilot’s negligence, the plane crash attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can provide the legal assistance you need. Our lawyers have an unmatched record of success in airplane accident litigation and understand the complex laws that surround aviation crashes. Call our firm today at 1-877-800-1700 to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help you.

The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports that on Saturday, December 11, a small Mooney M20J plane crashed at the Chino Airport (CNO) in Chino, CA after stalling and crashing onto the runway.

The Mooney M20J plane was operated by a student pilot, who was being supervised by an instructor. The student was practicing touch-and-go maneuvers when it crashed onto the airport’s runway, according to a spokesperson from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The California aviation accident occurred at about 12:40 p.m. when the plane stalled, crashed, and caught fire. The student pilot and the instructor managed to get out of the aircraft before firefighters arrived. The student pilot, a 35-year-old male, sustained second- and third-degree burns on 20 percent of his body. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. The instructor suffered only minor injuries and refused to be treated.

According to an airport spokesperson, the Mooney M20J plane stalled about 20 feet from the airport’s runway while it was taking off. Officials have not yet determined why the plane stalled. The FAA along with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be investigating the crash and will release the cause of the aviation accident in the next few months.

If you have been injured in a small plane crash, the Los Angeles aviation accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can help determine whether a manufacturer’s negligence played a role in causing the crash. All aircraft manufacturers have a legal duty to create and assemble planes that are safe for pilots to operate and will not cause harm to them, their passengers, or anyone on the ground. If it is determined that an aviation disaster was caused by flawed design or manufacture of an aircraft, the manufacturer may be held liable for the accident and the resulting injuries. Call our firm at 1-877-800-1700 today for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.

Aviation accidents can be deadly, and, depending on the size of a plane, can result in numerous injuries and fatalities. Often, airplane crashes are caused by a design or manufacturing defect. Crashes can also result from infrequent or negligent aircraft maintenance or an error on the part of the pilot or air traffic controller.

There are some steps pilots can take to potentially prevent emergency situations from occurring. In the recent issue of FAA Safety Briefing, an article entitled “When the Best Made Plans Go Awry” discusses precautions a pilot can take to help prevent aviation disasters. According to the article, one of the most significant steps a pilot can take to prevent a crash is to ensure the aircraft is legally airworthy during the preflight inspection. This involves checking that the aircraft is up-to-date on maintenance, certifications, and inspections to make sure it meets airworthiness requirements. This should be done regularly.

The article also notes that beginning pilots should be aware of how an aircraft operates normally, so if a malfunction occurs, it is immediately apparent. The article recommends that all pilots familiarize themselves with checklists in their Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) and the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for emergency situations, and, if possible, to replicate these situations in flight simulators so they are prepared in case they encounter abnormal events during a flight. The article also advises that all pilots learn as much as they can through training and regular practice, and then learn more. Pilots should strive for perfection and proficiency in every flight.

However, regardless of a pilot’s training and preparations, accidents can occur, whether as a result of a pilot’s mistake, faulty maintenance or poor design. At Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, our aircraft accident lawyers offer legal assistance to those that have been injured or who have lost a family member in an airplane crash that was caused by another’s negligence. Our attorneys have extensive experience in aviation litigation and understand the complexities of the laws that surround aircraft accidents. Our record of successfully prosecuting airline accident cases is unmatched. Call us today at 1-877-800-1700 to learn how we can help you.

Further investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into an August 8, 2009 collision between a single-engine plane and tourist helicopter has revealed several probable causes that led to the crash. Nine people aboard both aircraft died in the accident.

CNN reports that an air traffic controller’s personal phone call is likely to have contributed to causing the fatal midair collision near Hoboken, New Jersey. The NTSB found that the non-work related call distracted the air traffic controller from his responsibility of timely transferring communications for the accident airplane to the Newark Liberty International Airport tower and fixing the airplane pilot’s inaccurate read-back of the tower frequency.

The NTSB report also states that the air traffic controller’s negligent action may not have occurred if his manager had taken corrective action following a previous phone conversation that was made by the employee. Moreover, the agency has determined that the manager exercised poor judgment when he did not inform his staff that he could be reached while away from the tower. He also did not utilize available employees to give additional assistance at the tower while he was gone.

Recommendations have been made to the Federal Aviation Administration by the NTSB to make alterations to its “special flight rules area” with revisions to federal regulations specifying altitudes for aircrafts conducting operations within the Hudson river area near New Jersey and New York. In stating that the deadly Hudson River aviation accident could have been prevented, NTSB’s Chairman also said that well-built operating measures, professionalism, and commitment to the job are all vital in ensuring safety alongside traffic alerts maintained by air traffic controllers.

As the Hudson River aviation accident demonstrates, plane and helicopter crashes can occur for various reasons, including negligence. At Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, our aviation disaster attorneys are experienced in handling the complexities presented by aviation litigation and have the resources necessary to obtain successful results for our clients. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a plane or helicopter crash, our lawyers are here to help. Call 877-800-1700 today for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal rights.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the gathering of aviators from around the world for the week of July 26 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The aviation community will have the chance to examine general aviation safety while participating in a variety of FAA activities. One of the FAA’s main goals at the gathering is to lower the number of fatal accidents in general aviation.

In acknowledging that general aviation accidents are down by eight percent from last year, the FAA notes that 303 people have been killed in these types of accidents as of June 2010 and significant work is still necessary to improve the general aviation safety record. Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) wrongful death crashes have dropped by more than 50 percent over the last three years in comparison to those previous three years. Fatal plane accidents in weather have decreased by almost 40% in the past three years, and nighttime weather aviation accidents are down by approximately 25%.

As the FAA continues to work with the aviation community to expand non-regulatory, pro-active plane accident prevention strategies, the organization recognizes that several issues must still be resolved regarding accidents involving amateur-built aircraft. The FAA reports that these types of aviation collisions accounted for 24% of all general aviation fatal accidents, an increase from only 10% a few years ago. Although amateur-built aircrafts have grown in popularity by about 4% annually in recent years, the accident rate has outpaced its growth in popularity.

Aviation accidents have devastating consequences for those involved and often result in fatalities. Even when an individual survives a helicopter crash, commercial airline accident, or private plane collision, he or she may face months, if not years, of rehabilitation as well as emotional trauma and financial challenges. The California aviation accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have years of experience successfully litigating aviation disasters that resulted in catastrophic injuries or the wrongful deaths of passengers or those on the ground. Call 877-800-1700 for a free consultation and to learn more about how the aggressive attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can help you obtain full and just compensation for your injuries and other damages.

A small plane crash near Lake Isabella – a recreation area about forty miles east of Bakersfield – killed two Bodfish residents just after 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 9, 2010. According to an article by the Bakersfield Californian, the two victims were flying an “ultra light” plane, which reportedly experienced a mechanical problem during flight.

The aircraft took off from Auxiliary Dam campground, and then started to suffer mechanical problems at about 1,000 feet from the ground. The two passengers were ejected from the plane before it crashed into the ground and were found dead at the scene when rescue teams arrived. The wreckage was found on the West Side of Auxiliary Dam Road and Eva Avenue.

What caused the mechanical error in the aircraft is currently unknown; however, the Sheriff’s Office and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently looking into the details of the plane accident in California. Further investigation will reveal if the cause of the crash was due to a mechanical problem, pilot error or poor maintenance.

Family members of aviation wrongful death victims may be able to seek compensation for damages associated with their loss. Manufacturers have a legal responsibility to consumers to ensure that their products are safe. If investigators find that the cause of this incident was due to a mechanical error, then the manufacturer may be held liable. The Los Angeles aviation disaster attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have a proven success record in aviation accident litigation. Please visit www.aviation-disaster-lawyers.com for more information on Panish, Shea & Boyle’s accomplishments or call 877-800-1700 for a free consultation.