North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog

According to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report, pilot error may have been a factor in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina aviation accident on July 12. Per the report, a Cirrus SR20 touched down on the runway at Horace Williams Airport so hard that the plane bounced several times before crashing into a fence and trees.

Killed in the North Carolina plane crash was pilot Thomas Pitts, 66. The two passengers riding with him were injured. Kyle Henn has since been released from the hospital, while Jim Donohue was still in critical condition as of last Friday.

According to witnesses, the private plane appeared to be operating out of control as it arrived at the airport, which belongs to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While it is not uncommon to add a power climb when attempting to re-land an aircraft, “pilot-induced oscillations” are not, and, per the report, excessive speed may have been a factor in this particular case.

One witness says the plane may have been traveling speeds of 60 to 70 mph as it went off the runway, while another witness has said that the nose of the plane was at a 45-degree upward angle during landing. No mechanical problems have been discovered.

North Carolina Plane Accidents
Unfortunately, plane crashes usually result in fatalities and serious injuries for those involved. Aviation accidents are different from other types of injury accidents, and it is important that you work with a Charlotte, North Carolina personal injury law firm that knows how to determine who should be held responsible for your plane crash injuries or your loved one’s wrongful death.

Crash may be pilot's fault, News Observer, July 20, 2010

Friends grieve for pilot killed in crash, The Chapel Hill News, July 18, 2010

Related Web Resources:
NTSB

Plane Accidents Overview, Justia

The National Transportation Safety Board says that they have ruled out several possible causes of the fatal plane crash in North Carolina last Friday that killed all six people on the plane.

The Beechcraft King Air C90A twin-engine turboprop’s cockpit voice recorder has been recovered, and it will be sent to Washington D.C. for examination. NTSB investigator Todd Gunther says that federal investigators have ruled out engine failure, fire, structural defects, or pilot illness as causes of the crash.

Six men died in the crash: Steve Simpson, 46, Frank Ruggiero, 52, John Wesley Rakestraw, 50, Tony Gunter, 46, Hal Echols, 57, and Robert Butler, 49. The men were going to hunting and golf resort Primland in Virginia. All six men were from Paulding, Georgia and were prominent business and civic leaders in their community. It is not certain who was driving the plane at the time of the crash.

New radar data reveals that the plane overshot the runway when it approached Mount Airy airport for a landing before veering left and crashing in a residential area. No one on the ground was injured.

If you are a plane crash survivor or have lost a family member in an aviation accident that you believe was caused by the negligence of the pilot, the airline, aircraft or air traffic controller personnel, the manufacturer of a plane or plane part, or anyone else, you should contact our personal injury law firm right away.

Plane crash cases require the legal counsel of a law firm that understands the nature of plane collisions and is familiar with aviation law and the different regulations that govern the airline industry and its personnel.

Common causes of plane crashes include:

• Defective equipment
• Pilot error
• Design flaws
• Structural problems
• Federal Air Traffic Controllers negligence
• Flight Service Station employee negligence

Because of the nature of aviation accidents, deaths and catastrophic injuries can result during a crash involving a private plane, a helicopter, a small jet, a commercial airliner, or a pleasure craft. There may be more than one party who is liable for your plane crash.

Our North Carolina and South Carolina personal injury and wrongful death lawyers have represented over 30,000 clients. 90% of our cases are settled out of court. We also have an aggressive litigation team that can represent your lawsuit in court.

Investigators Say CVR May Shed Light Into NC King Air Downing, Aero-News.Net, February 4, 2008

Wreckage of crashed plane to be brought to Atlanta, AJC.com, February 3, 2008

Related Web Resources:

National Transportation Safety Board

Federal Aviation Administration

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