Jury finds pilot at fault for crash

[MAK49]

Jury in WA state found the pilot completely at fault for a crash that killed his 4 year old son and seriously injured others.

The pilot had blamed the engine manufacturer (and others) for the crash which happened after takeoff from Merrill Field in Anchorage (PAMR), crashing into an abandoned building along one of the main downtown roads. Passersby and police assisted, but were unable to get the young boy out in time.

Pilot sued Continental Motors, Ace Aviation and Northwest Seaplanes. NTSB report found the cause of the crash was the plane was overloaded by more than 650 pounds with timber and tiles.

Story: http://www.adn.com/article/20160427...lot-was-fault-2010-plane-crash-killed-his-son

NTSB Full Narrative of the crash: http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20100602X45201&ntsbno=ANC10FA048&akey=1

 

[MaRiO FDZ]

Jury in WA state found the pilot completely at fault for a crash that killed his 4 year old son and seriously injured others.

The pilot had blamed the engine manufacturer (and others) for the crash which happened after takeoff from Merrill Field in Anchorage (PAMR), crashing into an abandoned building along one of the main downtown roads. Passersby and police assisted, but were unable to get the young boy out in time.

Pilot sued Continental Motors, Ace Aviation and Northwest Seaplanes. NTSB report found the cause of the crash was the plane was overloaded by more than 650 pounds with timber and tiles.

Story: http://www.adn.com/article/20160427...lot-was-fault-2010-plane-crash-killed-his-son

NTSB Full Narrative of the crash: http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20100602X45201&ntsbno=ANC10FA048&akey=1

Why does everything nowadays have to have a law suit?

 

[Beep]

Why does everything nowadays have to have a law suit?

Because it's just not acceptable to show up wearing a law shirt and tie.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Why does everything nowadays have to have a law suit?

Because when you just killed your kid, you'd do anything to remove the guilt.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

No matter the lawsuit result, it's still sad all around. The family is and will always be devastated by the loss of loved ones.

 

[jtrain609]

Why does everything nowadays have to have a law suit?

Commonly it's the insurance company's that bring the claim, mostly because they don't want to pay for their client's poor decision making.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Commonly it's the insurance company's that bring the claim, mostly because they don't want to pay for their client's poor decision making.

Right but like...that's what insurance is for. If you don't think our tort system is toys in the attic, hugging yourself, batguano insane, you're probably a lawyer.

 

[jtrain609]

Right but like...that's what insurance is for. If you don't think our tort system is toys in the attic, hugging yourself, batguano insane, you're probably a lawyer.

I've found those who have the most criticism for complex systems understand those systems the least, which is fine if you're into mediocrity.

And that's not to say that tort laws are perfect, but when you read far enough back into history about what we had before this system, it doesn't seem so bad.

 

[mikecweb]

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

Commonly it's the insurance company's that bring the claim, mostly because they don't want to pay for their client's poor decision making.

I'd guess most are brought by someone (or their heirs) severely injured or killed in the accident covering all the bases and hoping for deeper pockets than the pilot and his insurance provides.

Suits against aircraft and equipment manufacturers are very expensive. Insurance companies are businesses which limit their payouts by contract and generally make objective cost/benefit analyses.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

Because it's just not acceptable to show up wearing a law shirt and tie.

Don't forget their briefs.

 

[dustoff17]

IF you have to state this to quantify your position.....

I've found those who have the most criticism for complex systems understand those systems the least, which is fine if you're into mediocrity.

And that's not to say that tort laws are perfect, but when you read far enough back into history about what we had before this system, it doesn't seem so bad.

THEN....

Right but like...that's what insurance is for. If you don't think our tort system is toys in the attic, hugging yourself, batguano insane, you're probably a lawyer.

Our tort laws suck and are in desperate need of repair!!

 

[Dan208B]

I flew with a captain that was driving down the road, saw this happen, and was the first person on scene. Helped pull people out of the airplane and said they ended up not being able to get the child out because everything was on fire. Anyways, he said he watched the entire thing unfold and it was 100% the pilot's fault. The airplane was WAY overloaded and the engine was definitely running at a high power setting. So as much as I hate to ever place blame on pilots, knowing the full story here I think this jury made the right call.

 

[jtrain609]

I'd guess most are brought by someone (or their heirs) severely injured or killed in the accident covering all the bases and hoping for deeper pockets than the pilot and his insurance provides.

Suits against aircraft and equipment manufacturers are very expensive. Insurance companies are businesses which limit their payouts by contract and generally make objective cost/benefit analyses.

Covering your bases sure, but how many come up with the claim themselves? It seems hard to believe that an attorney would willingly put the time into a case with such dubious arguments if they're on a contingency fee basis?

Or at least that'd be my guess after an attorney realized, after talking with some experts, that a plane crashed due to being overloaded.

 

[ppragman]

This one was played out correctly, I remember when this happened, this was totally the dbag operating the airplane's fault.

 

[Bandit_Driver]

My skin crawls just reading that. More money than brains... In aviation you may get away with it a few times or not at all but stupidity usually will catch up with you.

not related to this accident but what gets me in our legal system is how you can be found not guilt of crime criminal court and then tried for the exact same damn thing again in civil court and be found guilt of it and have to pay $$$$.... It should be if you were found not guilty of the crime you shouldn't be able to be tried again for the same thing.

 

[Tommay85]

I don't know anything about a 206. Is 650 overweight more than 1/3 overweight or more overweight than what seems to be considered acceptably overweight with that particular plane? Again, I don't know anything about that particular plane. I do know that there seems to be a few types that seem to be severely under-rated and operated as such though.

 

[ppragman]

I don't know anything about a 206. Is 650 overweight more than 1/3 overweight or more overweight than what seems to be considered acceptably overweight with that particular plane? Again, I don't know anything about that particular plane. I do know that there seems to be a few types that seem to be severely under-rated and operated as such though.

MTOW is 3600lbs.

 

[mikecweb]

I don't know anything about a 206. Is 650 overweight more than 1/3 overweight or more overweight than what seems to be considered acceptably overweight with that particular plane? Again, I don't know anything about that particular plane. I do know that there seems to be a few types that seem to be severely under-rated and operated as such though.

Please learn me what this "acceptably overweight" means?

 

[Tommay85]

MTOW is 3600lbs.

Yeah, and that type isn't running around up north (farther north than WA) over published MGTOW?

In WA, I would expect that to be not acceptable. Is that 650 more overweight than what is seen in AK?