The Los Angeles Times reports that at least three people were killed in a small private plane accident that occurred in Newport Beach’s Back Bay. The Beechcraft Musketeer aircraft is believed to have been on the way to Torrance from Mexico. A Newport Beach Police Sergeant stated that it is unclear at this time whether there are more than three victims. The single-engine plane is reportedly registered to a Palos Verdes real estate agent.
According to the article, the pilot used his radio to inform officials around 5:45 p.m. on November 21 that the plane was experiencing problems and that he wanted to attempt a landing on the street close to the Fashion Island shopping center. Newport Center Drive was being cleared of vehicles and people by police so the plane could make an emergency landing. However, the plane crashed before it got a chance to land, coming to a rest upside down in a mud flat in the Back Bay.
Although the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have plans to investigate the plane crash, it could take months before a cause of the accident is determined.
Small planes provide its owners and passengers with a convenient mode of transportation. However, the small sizes of these aircrafts make them difficult to control during certain weather conditions. Moreover, poor plane maintenance and faulty aircraft components make a small plane susceptible to experiencing problems that could lead to a crash.
Small aircraft collisions can result in serious injuries or death to the plane’s occupants and those on the ground. Aviation disasters require thorough and immediate investigations in order for their causes to be established. If it is determined that a person or entity’s negligence contributed to a plane crash, the responsible parties may be held liable for damages associated with a victim’s injuries or a family’s loss of a loved one. As national leaders in aviation law, the California small plane crash attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have the resources and knowledge to protect your rights and help you obtain full and just compensation. Call our firm today at 1-877-800-1700 for a free consultation.
