Family of Qualcomm Exec Killed in Plane Crash Files Wrongful Death Law Suit

January 11, 2016, 10:30AM. By LAS Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO (January 8, 2016) (Press Release)San Diego-based law firm CaseyGerry has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Michael Copeland, a Qualcomm executive who was killed after the single engine Cessna airplane he was piloting collided in midair with a twin-engine Sabreliner jet while approaching Brown Field Municipal Airport in Otay Mesa. Copeland, along with all four people on the jet, died following the tragic accident, which occurred on August 16, 2015.

According to CaseyGerry attorney David S. Casey Jr., the lawsuit was filed in San Diego Superior Court against New Jersey-based Serco Inc., which contracted with the U.S. government to provide air traffic control services at Brown Field; Mark Demetris, a Serco employee who managed all air traffic control services at Brown Field; and Maryland-based BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, which owned and operated the Sabreliner jet as well as employed its deceased pilots.

According to Casey Jr., the control tower had communicated with the pilots of both planes prior to the crash. The Sabreliner was cleared to land and was on a jet approach, while the Cessna - cleared to perform touch and go landings and take offs - was flying to the airport on a downwind lag.

“The jet crashed into the Cessna, demonstrating that the accident was due to negligence on the part of all the defendants, in particular the air traffic control company - Serco Inc., a private operator.” Casey Jr. said. “We believe the air traffic controllers failed to maintain a proper, safe distance between the two aircrafts.” Additionally,” Casey Jr. said, “the jet was approaching from above and behind the Cessna, and due to its position, should have been able to clearly see the smaller plane. The lawsuit alleges that all the defendants were careless and failed to maintain situational awareness over the status of the Cessna, ultimately resulting in Copeland’s tragic death.”

About CaseyGerry

CaseyGerry was established in 1947, and is the longest-standing plaintiffs' law firm in San Diego. The firm's15 attorneys practice in numerous areas, including serious personal injury, aviation, maritime, product liability, pharmaceutical, mass tort and class action litigation. Headquartered at 110 Laurel St. in the Banker's Hill neighborhood of San Diego, the firm also has an additional office in Carlsbad, Calif. For more information, visit www.caseygerry.com.