Family of DC crash victim files first step in lawsuit against military
The family of a victim who died in a midair collision between an army helicopter and an American Airlines flight has taken initial legal steps towards a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Management (FAA) and the Army, claiming $250 million in damages. This tragic incident occurred on January 29, resulting in the deaths of all 64 passengers on the American Airlines flight and three crew members on the helicopter during its routine training mission. The family’s attorney, Robert Clifford, is seeking answers and preserving all relevant documents from involved parties, including American Airlines and aircraft manufacturers. Additionally, he is taking a cautious approach regarding potential litigation against other entities, pending the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), expected to release a preliminary report soon. Investigations are underway to explore whether the Army helicopter had incorrect altitude data and if it complied with air traffic control instructions prior to the collision, marking this as the deadliest commercial aviation crash in the U.S.since 2009.
Family of DC plane crash victim files first step toward lawsuit against FAA and Army
The first steps toward a lawsuit were filed Tuesday by the family of a victim of the deadly midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight last month in Washington.
Claims were filed against the Federal Aviation Administration and the Army for $250 million in damages by an attorney for the family of Casey Crafton, who was killed in the incident. Both agencies have six months to act on the claims, which could lead to a lawsuit if the claims are rejected or not acted upon.
“This crash involves complex matters, and the family deserves answers as to what happened to their loved one,” Robert Clifford, an attorney for the family, said in a statement.
Clifford also sent letters calling for the preservation of all documents related to the midair collision to American Airlines; PSA Airlines, the wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines that operated the flight; Sikorsky Aircraft; and Collins Aerospace.
The attorney said he is “taking a cautionary approach” toward possible litigation against other entities, including American Airlines, pending the release of the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report. The NTSB’s report is typically released within 30 days of an incident, meaning it will likely be released by the end of this month.
The collision on the night of Jan. 29 killed all 64 people on board the American Airlines flight moments before it was set to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and all three people on board an Army helicopter as it was on a routine training mission.
At a press briefing Friday, NTSB officials said they were examining the possibility that the Army helicopter had “bad data” and that there may have been a difference between the helicopter’s actual altitude and the altimeters in the Black Hawk helicopter.
The radio altitude of the helicopter when it collided with the American Airlines flight was 278 feet, above the maximum 200 feet helicopters are permitted to be at on the route they were flying over the Potomac River. An official also said the helicopter may not have heard instructions from the air traffic controller to pass behind the American Airlines plane.
The incident was the first deadly commercial aviation crash in the United States since 2009, and the deadliest such incident domestically since November 2001.
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