Copilot Sues Over Ebersol Plane Crash

Copilot sues over Ebersol plane crash
Associated Press
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The copilot of the airplane that crashed in 2004, killing the youngest son of NBC Sports executive Dick Ebersol and two others, has filed a negligence lawsuit against the aircraft's maker, owner and charter company.

Eric Sloan Wicksell of Daytona Beach claims in the lawsuit that the plane was defective because operating and training manuals didn't disclose that it was highly susceptible to icing.

The National Transportation Safety Board concluded in May that the pilot's failure to carefully examine the wings for icing probably caused the crash.

The twin-engine Canadair crashed Nov. 28, 2004, as it was taking off from Montrose, Colo., killing 14-year-old Teddy Ebersol, pilot Luis Polanco-Espaillat and flight attendant Warren Richardson III.

Wicksell was injured, as were Dick Ebersol and another son, Charlie Ebersol.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Broward County, seeks unspecified damages. Defendants include Montreal-based aircraft maker Bombardier Corp. and Hop-A-Jet Inc., a Fort Lauderdale-based charter service that owned the airplane.

Representatives of the companies did not return calls seeking comment Wednesday.
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What aircraft isn't highly susceptible to icing?
 
Doug Taylor said:
What aircraft isn't highly susceptible to icing?
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ufo-files_saucer.jpg


edit found a smaller pic
 
Last time I saw a UFO over the midwest, there was a little "impact rime" on the leading/trailing edge.
 
Doug Taylor said:
I wonder what category that would be? B, ya think? ;)
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i hear its a no-go item, but those pilot/aliens must've been 'team players' and probably were gonna write it up when they got to the mother ship/hub.
 
MidlifeFlyer said:
Apparently it was the manufacturer's fault that the pilots didn't check carefully for ice.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/15022491.htm
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I know "of" this pilot and his situation. His parents were killed in an airline crash back in the 70's and he was awarded millions. Went to Riddle, bought his own piston twin and tried to run his own 135 operation here in FL. Ended up buying a type to get this last job.

He is now disabled and has amnesia. Didn't know his wife or two kids after the crash. Pretty sad situation really. Still, he doesn't have to work ever again due to his settlement.

Stunning he is trying to sue when it was entirely his fault.
 
You know guys, this pilot may have something here... It sounds stupid at first but I bet they have something. The article says "Eric Sloan Wicksell of Daytona Beach claims in the lawsuit that the plane was defective because operating and training manuals didn't disclose that it was highly susceptible to icing."

About a week, or maybe it was a month after the crash, I was contacted by the manfacturer asking to use my photo of their plane being deiced. They said in light of this crash they are rewriting their cold weather operations. I guess my photo showed the wings with de-ice fluid on them and they wanted to include that in the manual.

Perhaps this crash made them realize that something was messed up with their manual? Or perhaps maybe the pilots should have removed the ice before they took off.

Either way, I am sure lawsuits have been won with less.
 
FLpilot said:
I know "of" this pilot and his situation. His parents were killed in an airline crash back in the 70's and he was awarded millions. Went to Riddle, bought his own piston twin and tried to run his own 135 operation here in FL. Ended up buying a type to get this last job.

He is now disabled and has amnesia. Didn't know his wife or two kids after the crash. Pretty sad situation really. Still, he doesn't have to work ever again due to his settlement.

Stunning he is trying to sue when it was entirely his fault.
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Wow, that is sad. It doesnt sound like aviation is for him. Lots of bad luck there.
 
SeanD said:
Wow, that is sad. It doesnt sound like aviation is for him. Lots of bad luck there.
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Sad, yes.....Sad that these pilots took off in less than ideal conditions causing the loss of life of an innocent individual.

As for the F/O at what point could/should he have stopped the flight? Is it any different being a charter-type operation? I am guessing in the 121 world, the pilot could let Crew Scheduling he does not feel safe and they need to find a replacement.

As for being on the RW, is it already too late to do anything? If the wx deterioates and the F/O no longer feels safe, what can he/she really do.

I would assume that making the 'no longer feel safe' call would be followed shortly by a visit to the CP?????
 
Timbuff10 said:
Perhaps this crash made them realize that something was messed up with their manual?
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Not necessarily. Making something better doesn't necessarily mean that there was something wrong to begin with. The opposite of "new and improved" isn't "old and crappy."

The rules of evidence recognize that (and also that's it better to encourage repairs than discourage them) and are a bit schizophrenic about post-accident repair evidence.
 
I have many, many hours in the front end of the Challenger series and have been thru initial and recurrent courses from both Bombardier and Flight Safety and can guarantee you that there isn't any thing missing from either the AFM or any of the training manuals from either company. Yes, the airplane is susceptible to icing, especially when you leave it outside during a snow storm and don't deice it. Yes it is prone to crash when you leave it outside all night allowing frost to develop on the tail and wings and don't deice it (England 604 crash). However, as Doug said, what airplane isn't? The Canadian military has operated Challengers in the great white north for almost 30 years now and has never had an icing incident.

Could it possibly be that maybe being based in Florida they didn't have alot of experience with ground icing conditions and didn't give it the attention that they should have??
 
I think this is just a darn perfect example of how an accident can sneak up on you if you're pushing the limits.
 
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