Major Recent Crashes
One Dead and Three Injured After Helicopter Crashes in New York City's East River
A private helicopter with five people onboard crashed into the East River in New York City Tuesday afternoon while attempting to land, killing one and sending three people to the hospital. Three passengers, two women and a man, were pulled from the 60 degree water by first responders near 34th Street in Manhattan. The two women were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The man was also taken to a hospital in stable condition. The pilot, who is the owner of the downed chopper, swam safely to the riverbank after the helicopter hit the water. Rescue divers from the New York Police Department pulled the body of the dead woman from about 50 feet of water after searching for over an hour. All of the passengers aboard the helicopter are believed to be tourists from England.
Witnesses say it appeared the pilot was struggling to keep the helicopter in the air, possibly experiencing some mechanical problems. The chopper lifted to about 25 feet off the ground and spun around three or four times before ultimately splashing into the water and sinking in a matter of seconds. "It went down pretty fast, you could see the splash, you could see the top of it and it just disappeared," said an eye witness. "It looked like it was trying to land at the heliport and missed the landing." The Bell 206 helicopter went down in the river near a heliport on 34th Street. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crash. Investigators from the NTSB are due to arrive at the crash site sometime this evening.
To view more information:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44776452/ns/us_news-life/#.TotuBHMyIak
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/helicopter_goes_down_in_east_river_98Lvbps8yCy5ineG1tbed
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Ten Spectators and Pilot Killed at Reno Air Show
Eleven people were killed Friday September 16, 2011 at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada when a 1940's era P-51 Mustang appeared to lose a piece of its tail before plummeting to the ground near a grandstand filled with spectators. The downed plane had previously flown a few hundred feet above the crowded grandstand where some spectators noticed a gurgling noise coming from the plane's engine. A few seconds later, the plane briefly pitched upward before taking a nosedive straight into a section of VIP box seats. Dust and debris consumed the first rows of the VIP section where the plane's impact with the ground made a crater three feet deep and eight feet wide. Ten spectators and the pilot were killed in the deadly air show crash. Officials said over 70 air show spectators were taken to area hospitals to treat major head injuries, facial trauma and limb injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the cause of the Reno air show crash will center around a piece of the aircraft's tail that witnesses say came off the plane seconds before crashing into the VIP section. Amateur videos taken of the crash by spectators show what appears to be a small piece of the plane plummeting to the ground seconds before the crash. The breakaway part suggests a potential mechanical failure on the aircraft, which calls into question potential maintenance issues with the 60-year-old plane. Records indicate that the plane involved in Friday's crash had previously crashed almost 40 years ago after an engine failure. Since then, the plane has had several engine replacements as well as a new canopy and many other modifications. Witnesses believe the part that fell off the tail appeared to be the "elevator trim tab," which is a small surface on the tail used to stabilize the aircraft. NTSB investigators say the component in question has been recovered from the crash site, but at this time they are hesitant to confirm that it is the elevator trim tab from the plane. Elevator trim tabs free pilots from having to put constant pressure on pitch controls.
Another theory being discussed is that the pilot seat may have broken or malfunctioned in a way that caused pilot Jimmy Leeward to lose control of the P-51 Mustang. A picture taken moments before the plane plummeted into air show spectators shows a cockpit without a pilot, leading some to wonder if the pilot's seat broke free. A mechanic familiar with planes like the vintage P-51 told news organizations that even if Leeward had slumped in his seat, he would still be visible in the cockpit.
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Huge Tear in Fuselage Causes Southwest Airlines Plane to Make Emergency Landing
Southwest Airlines flight carrying 118 people was forced to make an emergency landing on Friday after a sudden rupture in the fuselage caused the aircraft to lose cabin pressure. There were no serious injuries. The Boeing 737-300 had taken off from Phoenix, Arizona, when a 5-foot-long hole burst open in the fuselage. Pilots were able to land the aircraft in Yuma, Arizona, where federal authorities inspected the damage. Inspectors concluded that pre-existing cracking in the fuselage caused the tear. Authorities have since found similar cracks on two other Southwest Airlines planes.
The incident prompted Southwest to ground about 80 planes, canceling about 300 flights on Sunday. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident and will work together to determine what actions may be necessary after the investigation. Baum Hedlund has been retained in this incident.
One Person is Killed After Jetliner Crashes and Breaks Apart on Colombian Island
A Jetliner carrying 131 people crashed and broke into several pieces as it attempted to land at San Andres Island on Monday morning. Only one person on board died as a result of the crash. The Boeing 737 broke into three pieces after crashing upon landing at the Colombian island. The pilots have since reported that the plane was struck by lightning shortly before the crash. The Governor of the Caribbean Island has called the crash a miracle, since all but one passenger survived. At least five people have been reported injured, four seriously. The flight originated from Bogota, Colombia and included eight American passengers.
United Airlines Flight Encounters Severe Turbulence, Injuring at Least 22 on Board
On July 20, 2010 a United Airlines flight headed to LAX experienced severe turbulence on Tuesday, leaving at least 22 passengers injured. Moments after flight attendants finished their beverage service, the 255 passengers and 10 crew members aboard the Boeing 777 were rocked by severe turbulence which sent drinks and lose items flying across the cabin. Passengers said it felt like the plane dropped. One woman was thrown from her seat with such force that she hit her head on the wall of the cabin, leaving a visible crack near the window. The flight was diverted to Denver International Airport where it was met by medical crews. According to the National Weather Service, a line of thunderstorms were reported in the area on Tuesday night. Authorities are now investigating the incident, the third of its type amongst United Airlines flights in the last couple of months.
American Airlines Flight Overruns Jamaican Runway and Crashes a Few Yards From the Caribbean Shore
During a tropical torrential downpour on the night of December 22, 2009 an American Airlines flight carrying 154 people attempted to land at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. The Boeing 737-800, operating as American Airlines Flight 331, touched down on the slippery runway, failed to stop and barreled through a fence before crashing into a sandy embankment a mere 15 feet from the Caribbean Sea.
Miraculously, no one was killed in the crash. Over ninety people were taken to area hospitals of which a handful were hospitalized over-night with more serious injuries.
The impact of the crash was so severe that the aircraft broke into several pieces. Both engines came off during the mishap and the fuselage was severely cracked on impact.
Survivors described the panic that ensued after the aircraft overshot the runway. Some were struck by overhead luggage that fell around them. Within minutes of the crash, rescuers began to pull bloodied and shocked passengers out of the broken fuselage. Witnesses said the air around the wreckage was thick with the smell of smoke and burning jet fuel.
The NTSB and the FAA have sent investigators to the site of the crash who will work with the Jamaican Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) in finding a cause for the failed landing.
Read this article to learn why victims of international airline crashes are treated differently than passengers on domestic flights: American passengers have limited rights in international airline crashes because of a treaty known as the Montreal Convention.
Experts Scramble to Find Answers After an Air France Jet Disappears Over the Atlantic
On Sunday, May 31, 2009, Air France Flight 447 abruptly and mysteriously disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft, an Airbus A330-200 was carrying 228 people on their way from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. Aviation authorities scrambled on Monday to find information on the missing jetliner as Brazilian and French military jets combed the Atlantic looking for clues. As of now, experts speculate that weather could have played a major role in the disappearance. Data shows that the aircraft had flown into an area with stormy weather and "high turbulence" before losing contact with Brazil air traffic control. The Brazilian military discovered debris in the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday that might be from the missing plane.
Some experts doubt lightning could have caused a modern Airbus jet to crash and point rather to a possible circuit failure. Two Americans were aboard the missing flight.
Plane Crashes Into Cemetery in Montana, Killing All Aboard
A single-engine turboprop plane crashed in a cemetery in Butte, Montana, on Sunday afternoon, March 23, 2009, killing all 14 people aboard, including seven children. The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-12, was traveling from Oroville, California to Bozeman, Montana when the pilot changed course to Butte for unknown reasons. The plane then nosedived before crashing into a cemetery 500 feet short of Bert Mooney Airport in Butte.
The flight is believed have been taking its passengers, seven adults and seven children, on a skiing vacation.
The crash is the fourth major plane accident in the U.S. in about three months.
Officials began their investigation Monday morning, gathering evidence at the crash site in Holy Cross Cemetery. The investigation is expected to take at least a year, since very little evidence is available.
A press conference was held on Sunday evening, hours after the crash. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board offered few details during the conference and no cause for the crash has been given. FAA spokesman, Les Dorr, did say that the Pilatus PC-12 is usually built to carry 11 people. It is still unclear if extra weight was a factor in the crash, since seven of the 14 people aboard were small children.
The weather at the time of the crash was partly cloudy with visibility of 10 miles and winds were blowing from the northwest around 10 mph.
According to officials, air traffic controllers received gave no sign of distress from the pilot of the doomed plane when he requested to divert the flight to the Bert Mooney Airport in Butte. Like many small airports in America, the Butte airport has no radar control. Without radar control, a pilot would have switch to a radio frequency and use visual rules in addition to following specific procedures for landing.
According to officials, the aircraft did not have cockpit voice or flight data recorders and was not licensed to carry commercial passengers.
The plane was registered to Eagle Cap Leasing Inc. of Enterprise, Oregon, whose president, Irving M. Feldkamp of Redlands, California, has yet to comment on the crash. Feldkamp has been a pilot since 1994 and is certified for instrument flight.
Continental Plane Crash near Buffalo
Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman files lawsuit for children of spiritual leader, Susan Wehle, who was killed in the Continental Connection Commuter Plane Crash
The aviation disaster lawyers of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman have filed a wrongful death lawsuit today on behalf of Jonah and Jacob Mink, whose mother, Susan Wehle, of Amherst, was killed in the February 12 Continental Connection Flight 3407 crash at Clarence Center, New York.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court, Western District of New York in Buffalo against Continental Airlines, Inc. (Texas); Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (Tennessee); Colgan Air, Inc. (Virginia); and Bombardier Aerospace Corporation (Texas). Case number: 09-CV0174-S.
The complaint alleges that the flight crew lost control of the aircraft due to, among other things, a combination of airfoil icing, negligent actions of the flight crew and an inadequate, defective, de-icing system and flight control system of the aircraft.
Read more.
Gol Airlines Boeing 737-800 Crash in Amazon Jungle of Brazil
On September 29, 2006, Brazil experienced its worst air disaster to date when Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes Flight 1907, carrying 149 passengers and six crew members, crashed nose first into the dense Amazon rain forest of Mato Grosso state after a midair collision with a private Embraer Legacy 600 business jet. There were no survivors.
Radar contact was lost with Gol's Boeing 737-800 during the flight from Amazon's principal city of Manaus to Brasilia, the nation's capital. An air force rescue team located the wreckage the following day, and began an unsuccessful search for survivors.
The smaller Legacy jet, en route from the Brazilian factory (of Embraer) to ExcelAire Services, Inc. in New York, successfully negotiated an emergency landing at an air force base in Serra do Cachimbo, in spite of extensive damage to the plane's wingtip and tail.
A Recipe for Disaster: Southwest Flight 1248
"Baum Hedlund represents five passengers from this airline accident"
Ronald L. M. Goldman was a lead attorney handling the discovery deposition efforts and Clark Aristei acted as lead plaintiffs' counsel for the Coordinated Discovery Cases in the Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 runway crash-landing in Burbank, California in 2000. That plane went off the runway, through barriers, crossed the street, hit a car, and came to rest mere feet from gasoline pumps at a service station. It is frighteningly similar to the Midway crash on December 8, 2005 in Chicago.
Baum Hedlund is investigating the airline accident at Chicago's Midway International Airport in which Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 crashed when it ran off Runway 31C which, due to its displaced threshold, only has 5826 feet of usable runway. The crash-landing occurred during a snowstorm. The Boeing 737 plowed through a fence and onto a busy street, striking several vehicles. The plane landed on top of a car, killing a young boy and injuring his family members. At least ten others were injured, including some passengers.
Visit www.southwestflight1248crash.com
Piecing together the Miami seaplane crash tragedy
"Piecing together the seaplane crash tragedy"
MIAMI (Reuters) - A seaplane packed with passengers crashed off Miami Beach and sank into the southern U.S. city's main shipping channel on Monday, killing at least 14 people, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The twin-engine seaplane, which flies between downtown Miami and the Bahamas, crashed just off the southern tip of Miami Beach after taking off with 16 passengers and two crew, Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer Danielle DeMarino said.
Other Coast Guard officials said up to 20 people were on board. DeMarino said 14 bodies had been recovered from the crash site.
Witnesses told local television the plane seemed to explode in the sky before falling into Government Cut, the entry to the Port of Miami, where it came to rest in shallow water next to a jetty. Fox News interviewed Aviation Attorney, Ron Goldman, about the crash.
Companies Accept Responsibility and Publicly Apologize to the Families of the January 8, 2003 Air Midwest Flight 5481 Crash in Charlotte, North Carolina
"Air Midwest Flight 5481 Memorial"
Charlotte, North Carolina, May 6, 2005 - - The last family to settle a wrongful death claim stemming from the Air Midwest crash of January 8, 2003 at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport demanded as part of their settlement terms that those responsible for the crash hold themselves accountable and publicly apologize to the victims’ families.
Pastor Douglas and Tereasa Shepherd, who lost their 18 year-old daughter, Christiana, in the crash, invited all the victims’ families to attend today’s event. The Shepherd family, their attorneys and approximately six other families gathered at the memorial crash site this morning to witness the public apology by Air Midwest and its maintenance company, Vertex Aerospace (now known as L-3 Communications Aerotech). The prepared statement read by Greg Stephens, President of Air Midwest stated:
Aviation Law Firm Wins Appeal on Behalf of 3 Paramedics Killed in 1998 Los Angeles Helicopter Crash; Trial Against Bell Helicopter Can Now Proceed
Aviation Attorney Robert E. Guilford won an appeal on June 13, 2003, for the widows of the three paramedics killed in the 1998 Bell helicopter crash in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. The helicopter was airlifting an injured child when the tail rotor yoke failed and caused the aircraft to crash.
Mr. Guilford filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Bell on behalf of the widows but Bell succeeded in having the case dismissed based on a federal statute called the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 (GARA) which bars legal action against manufacturers of general aviation aircraft if the part that allegedly caused the accident is more than 18 years old. Mr. Guilford appealed.
