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 littlKaren Trolane fuel for the short flight. But fuel was a few pennies per gallon cheaper in Truckee than in San Jose.  The Trolans decided to fill the tanks of their single-engine Cessna 206 to the tops.

When departing a high altitude airport such as Truckee, that’s a very dangerous thing to so. As discussed here, the combination of thin air and a heavy aircraft can dramTrolan Plane Wreckatically compromise the aircraft’s ability to climb. After takeoff, the aircraft will ride briefly on the cushion of air that exists between the plane’s wings and the runway, and then crash.  And that’s exactly what happened.

The NTSB’s preliminary report confirmed that the Trolans’ tanks were indeed full when they attempted to take off.

The crash was caused by pilot error, plain and simple.  Yet, the Trolans have turned their back on Marilyn and her family, leaving them to fend for themselves. The Trolans have yet to pay any of Marilyn’s medical bills, which continue to mount.