Pilot Died in Airplane Accident
On 25 October, an unidentified pilot died after his small aircraft crashed 15 minutes after takeoff from Concord’s Buchanan Field airport. The plane crashed along Kirker Pass Road in Pittsburg, California, near the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. The cause of the airplane accident is unknown at this time.
What Happened?
The plane left Buchanan Field at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday and, according to witness reports, crashed almost 15 miles away at approximately 12:30pm. Over the course of the 15 miles, the aircraft reached an altitude of 3,000 feet before declining sharply and crashing. Several utility poles were destroyed in the crash and two power lines had to be deenergized by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) before rescue crews could reach the aircraft.
What Type of Airplane?
The plane was a single-engine Beech A36, also known as a Beechcraft Bonanza, owned by Accretion, LLC. Accretion, LLC is a consulting firm that specializes in moving resources offshore and outsourcing. The aircraft arrived at Concord’s Buchanan Field on 20 October after departing from Westover Field in Amador County.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the accident, but have not released a preliminary accident report or cause of the accident. Investigators have stated that they do not believe they will be able to identify the pilot for several days.
What Caused the Plane to Crash?
Even though it is unknown why the plane crashed, failure of one or more aircraft components likely caused the accident given the relatively short distance and time the aircraft was in the air. The pilot may have also fallen victim to an unrelated health crisis like a heart attack or stroke, rendering him unable to continue piloting of the aircraft, forcing it to crash.
Implications of Aircraft Failure
If one or more aircraft components failed, the pilot’s family may be able to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer or an aircraft component manufacturer. All manufacturers of airplane components have a duty of care based on the expertise of the industry and the great risk to human life. If a component of the aircraft failed because it was faulty, this duty of care may have been violated, entitling the family of the pilot to damages.
Recent Central California Plane Crashes
October was a difficult month overall for aviation in central California. In addition to the above crash, on 18 October, rescue crews located the wreckage of a plane traveling from Idaho to Sacramento. The plane went missing several days before and was located near Lake Schmidell, west of Lake Tahoe. The pilot in that accident has been identified as Tyrell Kremer from Wilton, a rural town southeast of Sacramento. Investigators have not issued a cause of the accident, but high winds and precipitation are believed to have been a factor.
Just one day later, on 19 October, another plane crashed. This plane crashed at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport at approximately 2:30pm. The pilot in this accident survived that accident after crashing while attempting to land a Piper PA-28 aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the NTSB are conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. As with the Pittsburg crash, if a component of the aircraft proved to be faulty, the pilot may be entitled to damages for his injuries.
Aviation Accidents
Although flying is statistically safer than driving, it can still be dangerous and end disastrously. When it does, victims and their families should seek out experienced legal advice to determine if they are entitled to damages.
Northern California Aviation Accident Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, a Northern California Airplane Crash Attorney. If you or someone you love has suffered an injury or wrongful death in a plane crash, please reach out to me at (916) 921-6400 for free and friendly advice. I can be reached free of toll at (800) 404-5400.
I have been helping Northern California residents with their claims for wrongful death and personal injuries for more than 3 decades.
Look at my long history of success here on my past settlements and verdicts webpage.
Look at a multitude of client reviews on Google, Avvo (the attorney rating service), and Yelp!
Million Dollar Advocates Forum Member. We are a group of the nation’s top trial lawyers with multiple million-dollar verdicts.
For more information about our law office, click here.
Image Attribution for – Pilot Killed in Pittsburg CA Plane Crash – Wikimedia Commons
Source of Pilot Killed in Pittsburg CA Plane Crash – http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/10/26/pittsburg-fatal-plane-crash-near-black-diamond-mines-probed/
:KW