Aviation Cases of Note
Southwest Airlines 737 Burbank, CA
After a steep and fast approach, aircraft overran end of runway, went through a perimeter fence and across a highway. Many of the 137 passengers and 5 crew members were injured.
Alaska Airlines MD-83 Near Point Magu, CA
After reporting mechanical trouble, the aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean causing the death of 83 passengers and 5 crew members. Failure of the horizontal stabilizer is suspected.
Egypt Air 767 Near Nantucket, MA
Aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after autopilot disengaged and the aircraft entered a steep descent. All 199 passengers and 15 crew members died.
Swiss Air MD-11 Near Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Aircraft crashed into Atlantic Ocean after crew reported an emergency. Electrical fire is suspected. All 15 crew members and 214 passengers killed. Liason Counsel
Korean Airlines 747 Agana, Guam
Aircraft crashed on approach three miles short of the runway on Nimitz Hill during a nighttime approach in the rain. The airport glide slope was not functional. 21 of 23 crew members and 207 of 231 passengers perished from accident and post-crash fire. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Fine Air DC-8 Miami, FL
Cargo flight crashed during take-off killing the entire flight crew. 45 tons of unsecured cargo shifted after take-off.
Long EZ Monetrey, CA
Aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The pilot, entertainer John Denver, was fatally injured.
American Airlines 757 Near Buga, Colombia
Aircraft crashed into Mt. San Jose at night while descending into Cali, Colombia. 155 of 159 passengers and all eight crew members were killed. Liason Counsel
USAir 737 Pittsburgh, PA
Aircraft went out of control at approximately 6,000 ft. during its approach to the airport. All 127 passengers and 5 crew members were killed.
USAir DC-9 Charlotte, NC
Aircraft encountered heavy rain and wind shear on approach to airport. The crew attempted a “go around” when aircraft crashed. 37 of 52 passengers were killed while all seven crew members survived.
A-Star Helicopter Southern California
A charter helicopter hit unmarked Edison Company power lines causing the helicopter to go out of control and crash. The pilot and its one passenger, Mike Skully, son of Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully, were killed.
China Eastern Airlines MD-11 Near Aleutian Islands, USA
Flight crew accidentally deployed the leading edge slats causing aircraft to porpoise violently. Passengers not wearing seat belts were thrown about the cabin. Two of 248 passengers were killed, while many others sustained serious injuries, including a flight attendant who was rendered comatose. Lead Counsel
DeHavilland DH6 Perris, CA
The twin-otter, carrying 16 U.S and Dutch skydivers, crashed after take-off. Six people were injured, one of the nation’s worst air tragedies involving sport parachutists. The aircraft had lost power due to fuel contamination.
USAir 737 Los Angeles, CA
Aircraft was cleared to land on runway already occupied by Sky West Metro III awaiting take-off. The two aircraft collided and burst into flames. Two of six crew members and 20 of 83 passengers on the USAir jet were killed. All 10 passengers and two crewmembers of the Metro III were killed. Lead Counsel
United Airlines 747 Outbound from Hawaii
Forward cargo door blew out as the aircraft was climbing. Part of the fuselage and interior cabin also left the aircraft. Nine of the 336 were killed. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
United Airlines DC-10 Sioux City, IA
Number two engine had an uncontained failure while at altitude which led to a loss of all three hydraulic systems. The crew was able to fly the crippled aircraft to a crash landing at Sioux City airport. 110 passengers and one crew member of the 296 occupants died.
Delta Air 747 Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, TX
Aircraft stalled and crashed on take-off due to flight crew’s failure to properly set flaps. 12 of 101 passengers were killed as well as two of seven crew members.
Continental Airlines DC-9 Denver, CO
Aircraft crashed shortly after take-off in icing conditions. 27 of 77 passengers and three of five crew members were killed. Lead Counsel
Northwest Md-82 Detroit, MI
Flight crew neglected to properly set flaps for take-off. The aircraft stalled after rotation and crashed onto a highway. All six crew and 146 of 147 passengers were killed.
PSA BAe146 Near San Luis Obispo, CA
Former USAir employee boarded aircraft with a gun and shot both of the pilots. The 5 crew members and 37 other passengers were killed. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
TWA 727 Athens, Greece
A terrorist bomb exploded, rupturing the fuselage as the aircraft was on approach to Athens Airport. Four of the passengers were lost through the hole in the fuselage and killed. Lead Counsel
PanAm 747 Karachi, Pakistan
Aircraft hijacked on the ground in Karachi by Abu-Nidal members. After 16 hours, the auxiliary power unit failed, plunging the interior into darkness. Terrorists then sprayed cabin with machine gun fire and threw hand grenades, killing several people and wounding others. Many more were injured in the evacuation. PanAm was shown to have been guilty of willful misconduct and failing to provide adequate security. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Aero Mexico DC-9 Cerritos, CA
Aircraft collided with single engine Piper Archer in controlled airspace. All six crew members and 58 passengers of DC-9 were killed. Three occupants of the Piper and 18 people on the ground also died. Lead Trial Counsel
Cessna C177B Fullerton Airport, CA
KFI pilot and traffic reporter, Bruce Wayne, was killed when engine failed on take-off from Fullerton Airport due to fuel contamination.
TWA 727 Athens, Greece
Aircraft hijacked by terrorists, with crew and passengers held hostage for several days. The terrorists shot a member of the United States military. Lead Counsel
British Airways 737 Manchester Airport, England
Crew aborted take-off due to uncontained engine failure which led to a punctured fuel tank and fire in the cabin. 53 of 131 passengers, along with two of six crew members, succumbed to the fire.
DC-3 DeKalb, TX
Singer Ricky Nelson’s recently acquired aircraft was subjected to an in-flight fire due to faulty heater. The aircraft made an emergency landing in an open field. All passengers died from the fire. Lead Counsel
Arrow Air DC-8 Gander, Newfoundland
Aircraft crashed on take-off following a flight from the Middle East to the United States, killing all of the 248 servicemen from the Army’s 101st Airborne Division on board. Lead Counsel
Delta Air L1011 Dallas, TX
Aircraft crashed shortly before landing after encountering wind shear. Eight of 11 crew members and 128 of 152 passengers were killed. One person on the ground was also killed. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Wings West Beech C99 San Luis Obispo, CA
In-flight collision with a Rockwell Commander killing 17. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Air Florida 737 Washington, DC
Aircraft stalled and crashed into Potomac River as a result of icing conditions. The crew failed to activate heaters and did not adjust engines to allow for sufficient thrust. 70 of 74 passengers died along with four of five crew members.
Western Airlines DC-10 Mexico City, Mexico
Crew inadvertently landed on closed runway adjacent to active runway. Aircraft struck a large vehicle killing 63 of 77 passengers and nine of 11 crew members. Lead Counsel
Air New Zealand DC-10 Mt. Erebus, Antarctica
Aircraft was on sightseeing flight from New Zealand to Antarctica. As a result of improper charts and navigational error, the crew flew into the mountain in instrument meteorological conditions. All 237 passengers and 20 crew were killed. Air New Zealand admitted the willful misconduct of its crew. Lead Counsel
American Airlines DC-10 Chicago, IL
During take-off roll, the left engine and pylon separated from the wing. The crew continued take-off but was unable to control aircraft due to damage to the hydraulic system. All 258 passengers and 13 crew were killed. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Cessna Citation Akron-Canton Airport, OH
New York Yankees captain and catcher Thurman Munson, while piloting his new aircraft, crashed short of the Akron-Canton Airport. Munson was pinned in the wreckage and perished in the post-crash fire. Lead Counsel
PSA 727 San Diego, CA
Aircraft had mid-air collision with single-engine Cessna. All aboard were killed, including seven crew members and 128 passengers. 13 people on the ground were also killed. Lead Counsel
KLM 747 and PanAm 747 Tenerife, Canary Islands
As a result of poor visibility and communications, the KLM aircraft began its take-off while the PanAm aircraft was still on the runway. All 234 passengers and 14 crew members in the KLM 747 were killed, as well as 321 of 380 passengers and nine of 16 crew on the PanAm aircraft. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
American Airlines 727 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Aircraft overran the runway upon landing. 35 of 81 passengers were killed as well as two of seven crew members. Lead Counsel
Continental Airlines 707 Denver, CO
Aircraft overran the runway after an aborted take-off. Lead Counsel
Eastern Airlines 727 New York, NY
Aircraft crashed on approach after encountering wind shear. 107 of 116 passengers were killed as well as six of eight crew members.
PanAm 707 Pago Pago, American Samoa
Aircraft crashed while attempting an instrument landing in tropical rainstorm, with severe wind shear. All survived the impact. Nine people got out of the aircraft but only four survived as a result of the post-crash fire. Lead Counsel
THY DC-10 Near Paris, France
Rear cargo door blew out causing cabin decompression. The crew was unable to control the aircraft due to damage to cables and the aircraft crashed killing all 333 passengers and 12 crew members. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
PanAm 707 Tahiti, South Pacific
Aircraft crashed just after take-off killing all aboard. The aircraft had settled into extremely deep water and could not be recovered. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Eastern Airlines L1011 Miami, FL
Crew became distracted in an attempt to find minor equipment failure. The aircraft slowly descended into the Everglades swamp. 94 of 163 passengers as well as five of 13 crew members were killed.
Hughes Air West DC09 Duarte, CA
Aircraft crashed after mid-air collision with U.S. Navy F4 Fighter. All five crew members and 44 passengers were killed. One of two F4 crew members was also killed. Plaintiffs Steering Committee
Air Canada 707 Toronto, Canada
Aircraft made very hard landing when co-pilot inadvertently retracted the leading edge slats. Unaware that an engine had broken off on impact, they attempted to “go around.” The aircraft crashed before landing, killing approximately 108 people. Lead Counsel
TransCaribbean Airlines 727 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Crew landed aircraft hard causing it to bounce. The second touchdown caused main landing gear to collapse and aircraft overran the runway into an embankment. Three of 46 passengers were killed. Lead Counsel
United Airlines 727 Santa Monica, CA
Aircraft crashed into Santa Monica Bay shortly after take-off from Los Angeles International Airport in poor weather conditions. The crew shut down an engine after a fire warning and initiated a turn-back to the airport. The aircraft then crashed, killing 32 passengers and 6 crew members. Lead Counsel
