What would happen if an aircraft mechanic was a fault for causing a fatal plane crash?

[flyinggreasemnky]

I know several mechanics that have been sued individually and most of the time the accident was pilot error. The problem is that the grieving family will sue anyone they can in hopes of getting money. In civil law, you must lawyer up or automatically loose because a jury of uneducated people can be convinced you screwed up. Thus, you are stuck spending a small fortune just to protect yourself.

As far as a mechanic actually being at fault, you can and will be held criminally liable. Just like those mechanics held responsible for the ValueJet crash.

 

[jmreii]

I remember there was a Japan Air crash that killed over 500 due to a faulty repair. Several suicides followed to apologize for the mistake.

Boeing performed the faulty repair because JAL didn't have the proper equipment/technicians to complete the repairs.

 

[jmreii]

If the plane crashed and the NTSB finds out that the plane crash occurred because of say a repair or annual inspection was done improperly, or somehow that the aircraft mechanic was at fault, would the mechanic be sued (or even criminally charged) by someone, even if he accidentally caused the fatal plane crash?

Probably all of those things and more. What I am more concerned with is the problem some flight crews will discover a mechanical problem and attempt to fix it some sort of way making the situation worse. Example, Alaska Airlines 261.

 

[jmreii]

Yup. Instructor of mine in A&P school was sued (back when he was working as an A&P) after a pilot either ran out of gas or carb iced and landed off airport.

One of the reasons aviation operations cost so much.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I know several mechanics that have been sued individually and most of the time the accident was pilot error. The problem is that the grieving family will sue anyone they can in hopes of getting money. In civil law, you must lawyer up or automatically loose because a jury of uneducated people can be convinced you screwed up. Thus, you are stuck spending a small fortune just to protect yourself.

As far as a mechanic actually being at fault, you can and will be held criminally liable. Just like those mechanics held responsible for the ValueJet crash.

The mechanic in ASA 529 was not held criminally or civilly responsible, since he was just following Ham-Standards' instructions for 14RF9 repair. But Hamilton Standard (Sundstrand) accepted full responsibility and legal liability for the accident.

 

[Houston]

If the plane crashed and the NTSB finds out that the plane crash occurred because of say a repair or annual inspection was done improperly, or somehow that the aircraft mechanic was at fault, would the mechanic be sued (or even criminally charged) by someone, even if he accidentally caused the fatal plane crash?

If there is a lawyer who thinks he can make money doing it, then the answer is yes, regardless of anything else.

 

[flyinggreasemnky]

The mechanic in ASA 529 was not held criminally or civilly responsible, since he was just following Ham-Standards' instructions for 14RF9 repair. But Hamilton Standard (Sundstrand) accepted full responsibility and legal liability for the accident.

Of course the mechanic wouldn't be found negligent. He was following the manufacturer's instructions. If he had done something not in accordance with the manual, he most definitely would be held responsible. Even if a mechanic follows the mm to the letter, if he does something that he should reasonably know better than to do, he will be held responsible.