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.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) organized and held a safety seminar, “Safe Skies, Good Neighbors,” on May 20 that welcomed about 200 pilots to discuss flying circumstances and procedures at the Palo Alto Airport.
Based on the AOPA announcement, pilots who attended the safety meeting showed their support of aviation protection. The Association and pilot guests also commemorated three individuals who were killed on February 17 when the Cessna 310 in which they were riding crashed. While the multiengine private plane collision caused significant property damage within the community of Palo Alto, even causing the city to lose power, no one on the ground sustained any injuries.
AOPA’s Airport Support Network Director noted that the seminar aimed to curb negative long-term impacts in Palo Alto and enhance pilot education. The goal of the gathering is to improve aviation safety while simultaneously developing solutions to any concerns that the community may have.
Pilots have a duty to be fully committed to air safety at all times while operating a private plane, helicopter, charter plane, commercial airliner, or another kind of aircraft. However, aviation manufacturers must also design and create aircraft components that are safe and free of any defect that could lead to malfunction and a subsequent collision.
While aviation accidents may be caused by a number of circumstances, these often devastating crashes are typically found to result from some form of negligence. Those who survive a plane crash are frequently left to endure catastrophic injuries that may create significant physical, emotional, and financial challenges to overcome. If you have been injured in an aviation accident, the aggressive and skilled California plane crash attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP will work diligently and in a timely manner to help you obtain the compensation that you deserve from negligent parties. Call 877-800-1700 today for a free consultation about your potential aviation injury claim or visit www.aviation-disaster-lawyers.com for more information.
