Plane Crash: Lawsuits and Accidents in the News

Baton Rouge, LAAs the weather warms up, many people are taking vacations. For some, this means taking a large airplane for a family getaway, while for others this means taking a small plane for a short, personal flight. Unfortunately, with the increased air traffic comes increased risk of a plane crash, and there has been no shortage of plane crashes, or plane crash lawsuits, in the news lately.

In one lawsuit, the Arkansas Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision to deny a claim against the owner of a plane that crashed in 2005. The county judge originally denied the claim saying that it did not contain important information, including specific names of defendants and a claim amount. The Court of Appeals determined that the claim was still legal and is allowing it to go ahead. The lawsuit was filed by the estate of a schoolteacher who was killed in the plane crash.

Meanwhile, there have been numerous plane crashes over the past few weeks. Two experienced pilots were killed when their plane crashed on June 24, 2008. The plane crashed into an open field in Kansas after leaving Kansas City's Downtown Wheeler Airport for a routine operation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the crash.

In Hawaii, a crash took the lives of a pilot and two passengers who were on a Big Island tour plane. The plane crashed into dense forest on the slope of Mauna Loa. This crash also includes the survivors of a 2004 crash involving the same tour flight company calling for stronger regulations. The survivors, a husband and wife who were seriously injured in the crash, say they were told by a federal investigator that their accident was the result of pilot error.

The same company faces a lawsuit by a former employee, alleging he was fired for exposing the company's inadequate maintenance practices. A former pilot has also filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging he was retaliated against for refusing to ignore FAA regulations to save money. According to the lawsuit, the pilot reported to officials that the company did not check repair manuals to see if work was authorized, failed to report repairs in logbooks and used unauthorized material to repair aircraft.

Two deadly plane crashes occurred in New Jersey recently. One took the life of a pilot and his passenger who were flying in a rebuilt military jet. The other crash took the life of a pilot, who was also an 11-year police veteran, and the pilot's wife.

Even people on the ground are not always safe in the event of a plane crash. In Ontario, Canada, a pilot crashed his plane in an area filled with power lines, poles, trees and houses. The plane exploded in flames after it crashed into the area, only 50 feet from houses. The pilot, who suffered serious burns to most of his body, died in hospital a day following the flight. His passenger is in stable condition in the hospital. Investigators are looking into the accident although they believe an engine problem may have started the chain of events that resulted in the homemade plane's crash.

Plane crashes can be large, involving hundreds of people, or they can be small, involving only one or two people. However, when a plane crashes, it is almost always devastating. Lives are lost or, at the very least, changed forever by serious injury.

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a plane crash, contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options.