A DeHavilland DHC-3T plane registered to Anchorage-based General Communication Corp. crashed in an isolated region of southwest Alaska on August 9, reportedly killing former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens and four other people. The LA Times reports that nine people were on board the plane, including former NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe.
The National Guard was called to the area of the crash site after a passing aircraft saw the fallen plane. Rescue and search efforts were postponed until the following day, however, due to severe weather. Five individuals assisted the crash victims early on August 10 and, amidst rain and fog, a private medical team was dropped near the accident site by commercial helicopter to assist the four plane crash survivors.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators are being sent to the plane crash site. As investigators gather evidence and determine the course of events leading up to this fatal aviation accident, they may examine weather conditions, pilot error, and defective or malfunctioning plane parts, as potential causes.
Although the Federal Aviation Administration has noted a decrease in fatal plane crashes in inclement weather conditions by about 40 percent over the last three years, pilots, crew members, passengers, and those on the ground, are still at risk when weather suddenly changes and pilots lose control of an aircraft.
The plane crash attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have the legal knowledge and resources to successfully handle the many complexities surrounding an aviation disaster. Our lawyers are dedicated to helping plane crash injury victims as well as family members of plane crash wrongful death victims obtain the compensation they deserve. For more information about how we can help, please call 877-800-1700.
