Aviation Accidents

Morrow & Sheppard LLP is privileged to represent those who have been involved in aviation accidents, as well as their families. If you have been involved in an aircraft accident in Texas, you need to seek the assistance of a qualified Houston airplane crash lawyer. He or she will be able to provide you with a better understanding of your case and the potential damages available to you.

How Common Are Aviation Accidents in the US?

There were over 1,200 general aviation accidents in the US in 2022 according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).  Of those, 220 or almost 20% of them involved a fatality.  

What Actually Are Aviation Accidents

When people think of aviation accidents, they often think of catastrophic failures involving commercial passenger airplanes that are seen on movies and TV shows.  However, most aviation accidents occur in non-commercial aviation flights or “general aviation” flights.  

Definition: The generally accepted legal definition of an aviation accident is an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, and in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial damage. (Source 49 CFR § 830.2 Definitions.)

Generally speaking, aviation accidents are often caused by negligence, failure to train, lack of policies and procedures, etc

Aviation is designed and regulated to be the safest mode of transportation per mile traveled.  There are numerous safeguards in place specific to the aviation industry that are not present in other modes of transportation, such as by train or car.  For example, there are often multiple redundancies built into the aircraft itself; if an aircraft loses one of its engines to a bird strike or other mechanical failure, the aircraft is designed to operate on one engine.      

Thus, when there is an aviation accident, it is extremely likely that there was some form of negligence from someone in the chain of control over the aircraft and the flight such as the manufacturer of the aircraft, the suppliers of certain critical parts, the party responsible for maintenance, air traffic control, or the pilot. 

There is often an overlap of negligent operation of the aircraft (pilot error) in combination with negligent training and/or negligent policies and procedures (company negligence).  For example, the 2020 helicopter crash the killed NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant and 8 other passengers was a result of the pilot’s negligence and the pilot’s company failure to implement a safety management process. 

In that accident, the pilot was flying a Sikorsky S–76 helicopter from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California to Camarillo, California.  None of the available weather information prior to take off indicated that the weather was too poor to complete the flight. Thus, the pilot was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) instead of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).  Essentially, the pilot was simply relying on his ability to see the terrain and other aircraft instead of relying on the helicopter’s instruments to help navigate the helicopter when the visibility became too low.  As the flight progressed, the visibility decreased as the cloud coverage increased. 

Instead of switching to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), the pilot decided that he wanted to keep using Visual Flight Rules (VFR) by ascending above the fog and the clouds.  While the pilot was in the clouds, he lost his outside visual reference, as if he was driving a car in a complete fog.  While the pilot was disoriented, he thought he was still gaining altitude, however, he was actually rapidly descending the helicopter.  As a result of this rapid descent, the helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas, California, killing everyone on board.  

The crash investigators determined that the pilot’s failure to switch to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in conjunction with the company’s failure to implement and enforce a safety management process were the primary causes of the crash.  The investigators determined that the use of the Instrument Flight Rules could have alerted the pilot that he was losing altitude prior to the crash and that the company’s failure to have an adequate safety management process put added pressure on the pilot to continue the flight despite the deteriorating conditions. 

People that get hurt should get compensation from the companies that cut corners or were negligent in training, hiring, etc.

When aviation companies and pilots cut corners or act negligently—whether it’s in training, hiring, maintaining equipment, or ensuring safety—they put people at risk of severe injury and death.  When that negligence leads to injuries or death, those companies and pilots should be held accountable, and the people affected deserve fair compensation.  Therefore, if you or a loved one has been involved in an aviation accident, it is important to hire a Texas Plane Accident attorney who can obtain the financial compensation that is deserved. 

National Transportation Safety Board

Civil aviation accidents in the United States are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB was founded in 1926, and since 1967, it has investigated accidents not just in aviation, but also those involving highways, marine venues, pipelines, railroads, and transportation of hazardous materials.

The NTSB has investigated more than 132,000 aviation accidents, and issued over 13,000 safety recommendations to more than 2,500 recipients.

The Houston accident lawyers at Morrow & Sheppard LLP have assisted common carrier airlines in NTSB investigations. As a result, they bring unique insight and experience that can help if you or a loved one is involved in an airplane or helicopter crash.

Common Causes of Aviation Accidents

The most common causes of aviation crashes are:

1. Pilot Error; This includes the failure to operate aircraft in accordance with operational limitations, flying in bad weather or unsafe environmental conditions, and inadequate training.  For example, many pilots often make mistakes while trying to engage the autopilot system in a way the system was not designed to do due to lack of a deep understanding of the system.  Many common auto-pilot systems, such as the Century 2000 autopilot system, do not include auto throttle.  Thus, an unfamiliar pilot can negligently cause the engine to stall if the pilot fails to increase the throttle while directing the autopilot system to increase the altitude of the aircraft. 

1. Poor Maintenance; The failure to properly maintain all systems on an aircraft can lead to system failure or malfunction during flight.  This can include mechanical failures such as engine failures and hydraulic system failures as well as structural failures and software failures.  For example, many parts on an aircraft, such as the wings and vertical stabilizer, are subjected to immense stress during flight and can become cracked or eroded over time.  The failure to timely repair these cracks and erosion could cause these parts to fail mid-flight, leading to catastrophic accidents. 

1. Mechanical failure or malfunction; This can include faulty design, testing, manufacture, warnings, instructions, quality control, and installation.  For example, pressure transducer failures have been linked to many aviation accidents.  A pressure transducer is a device that converts pressure into an electrical signal and are often used to monitor fuel tank pressure and flow. In some cases, faulty pressure readings have caused pilots to believe they had more fuel than they actually did, leading to fuel exhaustion and emergency landings or crashes.

Why Choose Our Aviation Accident Law Firm?

When you’re facing the aftermath of an aviation accident, whether it involves a commercial airplane, private jet, or helicopter, you need experienced and dedicated Texas Plane Accident attorneys on your side.  Morrow & Sheppard LLP stands out above the rest due to our proven track record against big corporations and insurance companies combined with our genuine personal connections we form with our clients. 

We proudly serve clients in Houston, Austin, Brownsville, Abilene, Amarillo, and other cities across the state. 

How Much Are Aviation Accident Cases Worth?

Aviation accident cases can result in multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. 

For example, a recent 2022 case in Harris County resulted in a jury awarding $12.1 million to three families in a plane crash that killed six Houstonians.   In that case, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the pilot had negligently started the flight without enough fuel to complete the flight.  Thus, the airplane lost all power during the flight which resulted in the crash.  

The exact value of an aviation accident case depends on several key factors.  In many instances, verdicts and settlements have reached amounts in the tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars.  Aviation accidents often involve significant physical injuries or loss of life, leading to higher compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and wrongful death claims. If you or a loved one has been involved in an aviation accident, it’s crucial to consult with experienced Texas Aviation Accident attorneys who can assess the potential value of your case and fight for the maximum compensation

How much do Aviation Accident Lawyers Cost?

We understand how overwhelming an aviation accident can be, and we’re here to help.  Morrow & Sheppard LLP offers a free consultation to evaluate your case, discuss your legal options, and explain how our contingency fee arrangement works.  You only pay if we win your case.  Reach out to us today to schedule your free consultation.

According to the Aircraft Crashes Record Office, more than 200 people have died in aviation accidents every year since 2000, not including helicopter crashes.

Causes of Plane Crashes

The causes of plane crashes are similar to the causes of helicopter crashes, and include:

1. Pilot Error
2. Mechanical Failure
3. Bad Weather
4. Terrorism
5. Other Human Error

Helicopters are arguably the least reliable and most dangerous form of air travel.

This is particularly problematic in the Gulf of Mexico, where thousands of offshore workers in the oil and gas industry rely on helicopters to transport them to and from offshore rigs and platforms.

In fact, a 2011 study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy found that helicopters servicing the drilling platforms and vessels in the Gulf of Mexico crash more than six times per year, killing an average of five people. From 1983 to 2009, 178 helicopter crashes resulted in 139 deaths, including the deaths of 41 pilots and 3 co-pilots. The most common cause was mechanical failure (68 deaths). Pilot error, including the failure to properly plan and execute flight plans, was another primary cause.

Causes of Helicopter Crashes

The most common causes of helicopter crashes are:

1. Pilot error. This includes the failure to operate aircraft in accordance with operational limitations, flying in bad weather or unsafe environmental conditions, and inadequate training.
2. Poor maintenance. This issue is particularly prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico, where saltwater can accelerate deterioration of mechanical and electrical systems. Poor maintenance can involve the failure to do the following: perform proper routine maintenance, conduct safety audits, properly track repairs and maintenance in logbooks, conduct proper preflight inspections, identify and timely resolve maintenance issues, and properly perform needed repairs.
3. Mechanical failure or malfunction. This can include faulty design, testing, manufacture, warnings, instructions, quality control, and installation.
4. Electrical malfunction. A helicopter’s electrical systems can malfunction for a variety of reasons, including product defects, short circuits, and corrosion.