The Feres Doctrine protects the military from lawsuits brought against it by Families of service members killed in the line of duty as a result of its negligence. The Feres Doctrine does not, however, prevent civilians who have lost love ones from suing.
Families must still navigate the nuances of the Federal Tort Claims Act…
Wasn’t it Air Traffic Control’s job to keep the American Airlines flight safe from the Black Hawk helicopter? Can families sue Air Traffic Control to obtain compensation for their losses? What’s involved?
Air traffic controllers work within the guidelines set forth in the Controller’s Handbook (pdf), which they often call “the Bible.” The Handbook is hundreds…
The Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 was found Tuesday night approximately one mile West of the Catalina Island Airport. It crashed shortly after takeoff, killing five on board. Weather reports indicated low clouds. Thus, the aircraft would have encountered “instrument conditions” in a matter of seconds after leaving the runway.
The aircraft turned right shortly after takeoff.…
At least a half dozen Cirrus SR22T aircraft have lost power on takeoff and crashed. According to the National Transportation Board, in each case the aircraft pumped too much fuel to the engine, causing it to flood. That remains ongoing danger. According to the National Transportation Safety Board:
until the Federal Aviation Administration requires…
Instrument approach procedures are pre-determined paths and maneuvers that, if followed, will guide an aircraft to a runway in reduced visibility. The last leg of an instrument approach procedure is typically a straight line (more or less) to the end of the runway. The straight line minimizes the turns the pilot must make to land…
Some media outlets have reported that poor visibility from the PG&E Dixie wildfire smoke may have caused the Bombardier Challenger jet crash in Truckee. If true, would that make PG&E liable?
Probably not.
PG&E is liable to those whose property burned in the Dixie Fire, or those whose property was damaged by…
Few turns in aviation are as dangerous as the “base-to-final” turn. That’s the last turn the pilot executes to line up with the runway.
When that final turn is made, the aircraft is always low and slow. If the pilot tightens the turn too much, the aircraft can stall and crash. The factors that contribute…
At first glance, this week’s crash of Cirrus N89423 at Truckee looks like yet another “high density altitude” accident. Such accidents are, after all, perhaps the most common type of accident at Truckee airport. Due to the thin air, the aircraft cannot climb fast enough to clear rising terrain or to maintain altitude…
In May, a Piper Navajo PA-31 crashed shortly after takeoff from Myrtle Beach. The pilot was ATP-rated and worked for American Airlines. He knew he was in trouble almost immediately after takeoff. He tried to return to the airport. He reached an altitude of about 1000 feet, then dropped 475 feet, then climbed 700…
Among the most dangerous activities in the aviation industry is the installation on an aircraft of unapproved or bogus parts – parts that have not been properly tested, approved, and certified as safe. The practice has been linked to the crash of both commercial and private aircraft. It is illegal to install uncertified parts on…
