Camp Pendleton Crash Resolved in Court

Jurors are sending a message to big business. 

The only way to hurt big business is through the pocket book.  When you  hit them there, they eventually come around to doing what is right. 

After this California wrongful death lawsuit verdict, my bet is that SDG&E will develop a belated conscience and will install safety devices or ball markers to help prevent this type of disaster. 

So we are offering congratulations to the jurors for using their voices; and congratulations to the families. No amount of money is going to bring back those precious four lives, or ever ease the pain of their families, but, at the very least we can hope that the families will have some comfort that a small measure of justice has been served.

Spanair Death Toll Rises

Most recent update:

Family given wrong remains after the crash. Apparently this was not a DNA error, just a delivery error.

The Facts

• What: Spanair Flight JK5022, a 15-year-old MD-82 jet bound bound for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.


• Where: Madrid airport Terminal Four


• When: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 2:45pm


• Who: Carrying 166 passengers and nine crew, at the time of this writing, the number of fatalities had mounted to 154 people.


• Why: The jet swerved off the runway and caught fire during takeoff. Spanish Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil (CIAIAC) is investigating

Update
Two of the eighteen survivors are in critical condition. A 44 year old woman is in an irreversible coma.
The death toll from the crash just rose to 154. A woman suffering burns to 72 per cent of her body died in a hospital. Eighteen survivors remain hospitalized. In spite of DNA testing, only 86 of the 154 victims have been identified.

Individuals who lost family members in this disaster should consider retaining a proven aviation law firm or get their case evaluated.

Have you wondered about the MD-82? See the database of MD-82 Accidents and Incidents for Yourself

GOL Crash Investigation Continues

Ever since the GOL crash on September 29, 2006, there has been a question why the private Legacy 600 corporate jet was flying north at 37,000 feet. Brazil's aviation regulations require planes flying from Brasilia to Manaus to travel at even-numbered altitudes -- 36,000 or 38,000 feet. The pilots had flown to Brasilia at 37,000 feet, and were supposed to descend to 36,000 feet as they continued to Manaus. The pilots claim they were at the correct altitude. Their attempts to talk to the tower failed.

There is argument back and forth whether or not there are radio blind spots in the dense jungle. There is also question about the communication systems. The Boeing 737-800 (PR-GTD) operated by Gol Airlines of Brazil was destroyed by in flight breakup and impact forces; all 154 occupants were fatally injured in remote jungle terrain with difficult access.

it appears that the left winglet of the Legacy contacted theBoeing 737's left wing's leading edge, separating the outer portion of the wing and a rendering the 737 uncontrollable.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

What: Wrongful death filed re: mid-air collision between two Phoenix television news helicopters that killed four men last year.
Where: KNXV helicopter collided with a KTVK chopper in mid-air over Steele Indian School Park
When: July 27, 2007
Who: filed this week by lawyers representing the 15-year-old son of KNXV photographer Rick Krolak.
Why: The premise of the suit is that 55-year-old Krolak died because pilot Craig Smith, while flying KNXV's helicopter, was "careless, reckless, and grossly negligent. Smith, also died in the crash, but is a defendant, along with his employer U.S. Helicopter Inc. The suit alleges Smith was performing dangerous, complex maneuvers; failed to, or was unable to, control the KNXV helicopter; and flew too close to the KTVK helicopter and also alleges that U.S. Helicopter allowed Smith to operate the aircraft in a grossly negligent manner and the company knew, or should have known, that Smith was a reckless, dangerous pilot.

Lawsuit over defective Helicopter Part

What: Inter-Island Helicopters McDonnell Douglas 369FF helicopter
Where: Kaua'i Hawaii
When: March 11, 2007
Who: Michael Gershon, 60, of Walnut Creek, Calif., and three other passengers.
Why: Safety board concludes manufacturing failure led to Ha'ena fatality-Caused by a manufacturing defect in a tail rotor fitting.

Update
Two of the passengers, Douglas Barton and wife Judy Barton, of Newport, N.H., in June announced a $9.5 million settlement in their lawsuit against Boeing Co., which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997; Aluminum Precision Products Inc., manufacturer of the defective fitting; and Smoky Mountain Helicopters, the company that operates Inter-Island Helicopters.

An NTSB probable cause report released yesterday said the defect resulted in separation of the tail rotor system and loss of tail rotor control. A contributing factor in the crash was the helicopter's impact with trees as it spiraled down for a crash-landing at the YMCA's Camp Naue. Closer examination of the parts revealed that the tail rotor blade assembly was fractured through the root fitting in the general area that coincided with a hole for the rotor blade retention bolt.

In response to the finding, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive on April 27, 2007, mandating inspection of the root fittings on certain MD 369 helicopters

Suit settles at $13 million

Heirs of six people killed in a March 26, 2005 Penn State plane crash recovered $13 million in civil damages although a judge ruled that they cannot sue the plane's manufacturer in federal court in Pennsylvania on the basis that Pilatus had minimal ties to Pennsylvania and could not be sued in the district.

Their private plane spiraled downward and crashed miles from University Park Airport.The NTSA board concluded the flight failed to maintain enough speed to avoid stalling.

Two Providence, R.I. victims were pilot Jeffrey Jacober; his wife, Karen; their 15-year-old son, Eric; Gregg Weingeroff, 49; his wife, Dawn, 42; and their 10-year-old son, Leland.

The Penn State lacrosse team helped fund an annual scholarship named for the Jacober family.