Insight and Commentary on aviation accidents and the law
Emergency Medical Services helicopters don’t get paid for being on call. They earn money only when transporting patients. But, when they do transport a patient, they are paid well — up to $20,000 per trip.
The business model has worked out well for the industry. In fact, the number of EMS helicopters in service has quadrupled since…
Steve Wilson argues that there are safety issues with Cirrus airplanes. First, Wilson feels that the Cirrus is more prone than your typical Beechcraft to crashes in which the pilot loses control of the aircraft while maneuvering. Second, Wilson feels that the Cirrus is more susceptible to crashes involving inadvertent encounters with icing conditions.
Of course, the NTSB chalks up both of these types of accidents to pilot error, not to a fault in theContinue Reading Steve Wilson: “The Cirrus Airplane Has Serious Problems”
Robinson Helicopter Company has long touted the crashworthiness of its helicopters. An excerpt from Robinson Safety Notice SN-10, which dates back to 1982:
The R22 and R44 have demonstrated excellent crashworthiness as long as the pilot flies the aircraft all the way to the ground . . .The ship may roll over and be severely
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In 1996, a ValuJet MD-80 went down in the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 on board. The cause of the crash was ultimately traced to oxygen generators, which had been removed from service and improperly secured and loaded into the plane’s cargo hold.
The FBI became involved early on. Various players were charged with, among other…
The NTSB hasn’t yet released its probable cause finding concerning the Pilatus crash at Butte, Montana that killed the pilot and his 13 passengers. But it has just made public its “docket.” The docket sheds some light on what may have been happening in the cockpit in the minutes leading to the crash.
The flight was bound for Bozeman. Suddenly, the pilot diverted to Butte, which was only marginally closer. Though the pilot never explained the reason for the diversion, the docket suggests that theContinue Reading Pilatus Crash at Butte: New NTSB Reports Show Pilot Under Stress
We’ve filed suit against Los Gatos real estate broker Karen Trolan (pictured), her husband Steve Trolan, and their company, Trolan Enterprises, as a result of the September 2009 plane crash that left the Trolans’ passenger, 14 year-old Marilyn Mitchell, seriously injured.
The Trolans were headed from Truckee Tahoe airport to San Jose. They needed very…