Clifford Law Partners Can Speak on Turboprop Plane Crashes; Buffalo Plane Crash Involved Turboprop Plane

Robert A. Clifford, Kevin P. Durkin and Michael S. Krzak, partners at Clifford Law Offices, are available to speak about previous problems regarding the turboprop aircraft.  A Q400 turboprop Bombardier crashed in Buffalo, New York, late last night.

Clifford and Durkin served as lead counsel in the Roselawn air crash of a turboprop plane where the inadequacy of the pneumatic de-icing boot, developed in France, was a major issue.  Durkin traveled to France and took the depositions of the engineers of the device.  After that crash, the design of the pneumatic de-icing boot was changed to make it more safe.

Clifford Law Offices represented the family of the only Canadian on board that flight.

Also at issue in the Roselawn crash was the young age of the pilots, often a common practice in short flights involving turboprops.  The lawyers at Clifford Law Offices have expressed concern that these aircraft that fly at lower altitudes are unable to avoid some of the worst weather conditions and, therefore, requires more experienced pilots.  Also, these pilots, given the shorter flight times, are performing more take offs and landings that larger aircraft that can cruise for longer distances.

Further, Clifford and Durkin can speak to the gradual change of policy at American Airlines to move their turboprop aircraft to warmer climates given the previous de-icing problems with this type of de-icing device that can change the lift of the aircraft.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators are on the scene, and Clifford said they will be looking into all of these possibilities as they try to determine the cause of the tragic crash.

Clifford Law Offices also served as counsel for a number of families in the Comair crash in Kentucky that killed 49 of the 50 people aboard when it tried to take off on the wrong runway.  The firm represented the only male passenger from Canada in that crash.

For further information, please contact Robert Clifford at 312-899-9090 or Clifford Law Offices’ Communications Partner Pamela Menaker at 847-251-4877 or 847-721-0909.