Two Identified Following Redding Plane Crash

The identities of two El Dorado County men who lost their lives during a Redding plane crash were released on Wednesday, November 21, 2018. According to reports from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, the two men were identified as Dick Tak, a 69-year-old El Dorado Hills resident, and Clay Abajian, a 64-year-old resident of Rescue. The collision took place just outside of a small airfield in Redding on Thursday, November 15, 2018, when the small aircraft crashed for unknown reasons. According to reports, Tak and Abajian had just completed a volunteer flight to transport a Redding cancer patient to a hospital in Sacramento. My condolences are extended to the families of Mr. Tak and Mr. Abajian while they are mourning their terrible loss.

Crash Information

Authorities reported that the collision took place at around 6:30 p.m. Tak had been piloting a 1967 Cessna 182 and had just taken off from the Redding Municipal Airport when the plane suddenly went down. The aircraft ultimately crashed a short distance northeast of the airfield in an area that was difficult for responders to reach because of multiple creek beds and fence lines. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the plane “collided with terrain due to unknown circumstances.” Both men were sadly declared deceased when responders finally arrived at the collision site.

The plane’s registration showed that the craft was owned by the Sacramento Aero Club. The leader of the club, Ron Lamb, confirmed the plane’s ownership. The manager of the airport, Bryant Garrett, stated that he did not know whether or not the plane sent out a distress call before the accident happened. According to reports, Tak and Abajian had been heading back to Sacramento after completing a flight for the Angel Flights program, through which pilots donate their time, experience, aircraft, and fuel to transport medical patients who have limited mobility options.

Investigation

This collision marks the second fatal Angel Flight accident of the year and remains under investigation by both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. However, investigators have not given any information regarding why the accident may have happened.

Lamb stated that the Sacramento Aero Club is doing everything they can to help the FAA with their investigation of the accident. Lamb stated that he had flown the same plane for over 16 years and that the engine had been recently replaced in March during an annual inspection. The Sacramento Aero Club had only ten members including Tak and stressed that they only accept highly experienced and capable pilots.

Wrongful Death Claims

When a person is killed during an accident, their family often suffers serious difficulties. Not only do families need to face the difficult process of recovering emotionally after losing their loved one, but they also are often left with serious financial burdens. The sudden death of a loved one can mean no longer having access to an important source of income, which is only worsened by having to pay for funeral costs, hospital bills, and other expenses related to the accident.

For these reasons, family members and dependents of people who’ve died because of the negligence of another party can usually recover money for the damages they’ve suffered through “wrongful death claims.” These claims can differ widely for each case, and it is best to contact a Redding wrongful death lawyer as soon as you are able to get advice about your specific situation.

More by Ed Smith, Redding Wrongful Death Lawyer

Redding Wrongful Death Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Redding wrongful death lawyer. If your loved one has lost their life during an accident, please reach out to me for free, friendly legal advice. To call, use (530) 392-9400. You can also use (800) 404-5400 or my website.

I’ve helped people obtain the money that they are justly owed in Redding wrongful death and personal injury cases for 36 years and am proud of my many verdicts and settlements.

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I belong to Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group for trial lawyers with a past negotiated settlement or trial verdict worth more than one million dollars in value.

AutoAccident.com, my site, is the best source for information on Northern CA accidents and personal injuries.

Two Identified Following Redding Plane Crash: Ed Smith

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Two Identified Following Redding Plane Crash