Aviation Law Blog

Is airline passenger safety in danger…again?

In 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) passed a final rule requiring pilots to get a minimum of 10 hours of rest prior to duty, an imposition that is designed to improve airline passenger safety. The rule was created after federal investigators determined that pilot fatigue was the cause of a Colgan Air crash in upstate New York. Now we’re finding it may not be just pilots that need a watchful eye. According to a June 1, 2013 report by … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on June 10, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: FAA,NTSB

The Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Project

When an aviation disaster occurs, the families of the victims are often left to deal with an array of difficult emotions and circumstances. For one such family member, Jennifer Stansberry Miller, it was a reality that she was not prepared to handle. Unfortunately, as she found out at the time, neither was the aviation industry. The End that Started it All On October 31, 1994, Jennifer’s brother, Brad, was killed in the plane crash of American Eagle Flight 4184 in … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on June 5, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: Uncategorized

Boeing 787 Dreamliner: A Timeline of Events

Ever since the battery fires aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft earlier this year, it appeared as though the Dreamliner was anything but a dream. After months of investigations, testing and modifications, Boeing and its luxury 787 Dreamliner jets appear to be finally ready for a second chance. Here’s a rundown of events from fires to flights: Photo Credit: Kentaro IEMOTO@Tokyo (Creative Commons) Dreamliner Batteries Up in Smoke After the Jan. 7, 2013 battery fire aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on April 30, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: Boeing Dreamliner,FAA

Pilot and Flight Nurse Killed in Oklahoma Medical Helicopter Crash; A Third Person is Critically Injured

It always seems even more tragic when a medical helicopter crashes because it inevitably involves people who work day and night in an attempt to save lives. The Friday crash in Oklahoma that left two people dead and a third person critically injured did not involve a patient, but the pilot and a flight nurse were killed. The Eurocopter AS 350 helicopter reportedly was on its way to Watonga, Oklahoma, to pick up a patient. The aircraft, which was owned … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on February 25, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: Helicopter Accidents,Medical Transport,Private Aviation

Five People Aboard Small Business Jet Crash in Eastern Georgia Affiliated with Medical Facility

Federal and local authorities are still examining the cause of a small jet that crashed in eastern Georgia shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 20, 2013). It is being reported that five of those aboard were affiliated with a vein clinic in Augusta, Georgia, that also had offices in Tennessee. Among them, according to the Huffington Post, was a surgeon and members of his staff. Two pilots also reportedly were aboard that business jet. Five people were killed and among … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on February 25, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: NTSB,Private Aviation,Small Plane Crashes

Tragic Medical Helicopter Crash in Oklahoma City Kills Two and Critically Injures a Third Person

A medical helicopter crashed between a retirement center and a nursing home in Oklahoma City Friday morning, killing two people and critically injuring a third, according to media reports. The EagleMed helicopter, an AS 350, reportedly was leaving Baptist Hospital and was on its way to its home base in Watonga, Oklahoma, when it crashed about 5:45 a.m. Friday. Neighbors told the press they heard a loud explosion and immediately called 911. Smoke and flames could be seen in the … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on February 25, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: FAA,Helicopter Accidents,Medical Transport,NTSB

Five People Killed in Georgia Plane Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent a go-to team to investigate the crash of a Beech Premier IA jet that occurred Wednesday (Feb. 20, 2013) night as the pilot reportedly was attempting to land. Five people reportedly died and two others were injured as the pilot attempted a go-around at the Thomson-McDuffie Regional Airport near Augusta, Georgia. Media sources reported that the pilot of the business jet was on approach to Runway 10 when he elected to abort the … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on February 25, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: NTSB,Private Aviation,Small Plane Crashes

FAA Slow Rule-Making Process Impacts Grieving Families of Victims of Flight 3407

It has been four years since the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 on its way to Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 aboard and a person on the ground. The families have had to endure much pain and sorrow dealing with the tragedy and the process of getting answers. Of course, those events cannot be changed, but in an effort to do things more safely going forward, the families have been pushing for legislation in Congress that was … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on February 13, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: Commercial Aviation,FAA

All 50 Dreamliners Grounded Across the World; U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Says 1,000% Safety Necessary

All 787 aircraft in operation around the world, 50 of them total, have been grounded in the wake of the multiple problems with its lithium ion battery. A series of overheating batteries that run the plane’s electrical system led to a comprehensive inspection of the major systems of the high tech aircraft, a grounding of the jets in Japan, then in the U.S. and now across the world. Ray LaHood, the U.S. transportation secretary, said Friday he could not predict … Read more…

Created by Clifford Law Offices on January 21, 2013 | Permalink
Filed under: Boeing Dreamliner,Commercial Aviation,FAA

Boeing Halts Delivery of Dreamliners

In the wake of all the problems that Chicago-based 787 Dreamliners have experienced in the past few weeks, aircraft maker Boeing announced Friday (1/18/13) that it will halt the delivery of the troubled new, high-tech jet until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides guidance on how to make its batteries compliant. In a statement, a Boeing spokesman said, “We will not deliver 787s until the FAA approves a means of compliance with their recent Airworthiness Directive concerning batteries and the … Read more…