Running out of gas is a leading cause of piston aircraft engine failures. So you’d think that pilots would have zero tolerance for the shoddy fuel gauges installed in many aircraft, such as the ones installed in the Cirrus SR22. But instead, they tend to make excuses for the manufacturers. "It would be too expensive to make
Bill Seeks to Immunize Volunteer Pilot Organizations from Liability for Injury to Passengers
Senator Leahy of Vermont is pushing for a law that would insulate volunteer pilot organizations (such as Angel Flight West) from liability for injury the organization’s pilots cause to its passengers. If the bill passes, it means that those injured by the negligence of an organization’s pilot would have no recourse against the organization. Rather
EMS Helicopter – Airplane Mid-Air at Shenandoah Valley Airport
The EMS helicopter was returning to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Virginia, having dropped off a patient in nearby Charlottesville. Reports differ on whether the Cessna was departing the airport or returning to the airport for landing. The Cessna and the helicopter collided. Though the helicopter landed safely, both occupants in the Cessna were killed.
Steve Wilson: “The Cirrus Airplane Has Serious Problems”
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”
Pilatus Crash at Butte: New NTSB Reports Show Pilot Under Stress
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
Suit Filed Against Karen Trolan For Truckee Tahoe Plane Crash
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
Limited Liability Companies May Protect Aircraft Owners
It’s not uncommon for three or four pilots to share ownership of an aircraft. For years, owning an aircraft as “partners” was the norm. That form of ownership, however, carries with it some liability considerations.
- “Partners” can generally be held individually liable for one another’s debts, including debts arising from one another’s negligence. In other
Holding the Aircraft Owner Responsible for the Mechanic’s Negligence
An aircraft owner loans his plane to a friend. The plane crashes and a passenger is injured. It turns out the crash was caused by the negligence of the aircraft’s mechanic. Can the crash victim hold the aircraft owner liable for the mechanic’s faulty work?
This question comes up a lot. In fact, it comes up
Cirrus Crash Near Agua Dulce: Pilot Not Instrument-Rated
An instrument rating entitles a pilot to legally navigate an aircraft when the weather is bad enough that he can’t see outside. A pilot who is not instrument-rated must always stay out of the clouds. If the weather is such that he can’t do that, he must stay on the ground.
The training required to obtain an instrument rating is extensive. In most cases, it takes a pilot longer and costs him more to obtain the rating than it did for him to get his pilot’s license in the firstContinue Reading Cirrus Crash Near Agua Dulce: Pilot Not Instrument-Rated
NTSB Probable Cause Findings and Pilot Error
According to the NTSB, most aviation accidents are caused by pilot error. But av
iation lawyers know that as many as half the cases that the NSTB says were the result of "pilot error" simply weren’t.
The NTSB does its best to get an accident’s probable cause right. The trouble is that, in almost every one of