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New Jersey Aviation Accident Lawyers

When a passenger gets on the plane, an accident usually only occurs in their worst nightmares. Unfortunately, aviation accidents are a part of our world for various reasons. Surprisingly, mechanical failures account for only a small part of total international aviation accidents. For fatal accidents, “pilot error” accounts for 50% of all cases. If you were on a plane and were a direct victim of pilot error, you have a team of aviation attorneys at your disposal. Call Ellis Law today at 888-355-4752.

Pilot Error

Although 50% might seem like a high statistic, it makes sense considering that pilots have to deal with everything from bad weather to mechanical issues, to executing a safe takeoff and landing. Sometimes pilots might misread equipment, misjudge weather conditions, and acknowledge mechanical errors in the last minute. Pilots can also become incapacitated during critical points of a flight. During a Helio Airways flight to Greece (2005), the plane crashed because the flight cabin depressurized, which incapacitated the entire flight crew. In a South African AW flight (1976), the captain suffered a heart attack and his first officer couldn’t control the plane in time. A Tokyo flight in 1987 was caused by a psychologically troubled pilot who put the plane’s engines into reverse mid-flight. If you’re on a flight with a psychologically troubled pilot, the airline can be held responsible for your unfortunate circumstances. Call our team of personal injury attorneys today.

Controlled Flight into Terrain

Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) is one of the most common scenarios for a plane crash. It refers to aircrafts that are piloted into the ground, mountains, water or other terrain. The term itself was coined by aircraft manufacturer Boeing, who also argued that pilot error was the most common cause. Causes of CFIT are various. Sometimes the pilot could run into bad weather which leads to poor line of sight. One famous example was the crashing of United Airlines flight 1973 in 1978, when the captain allowed the plane to run out of fuel while circling Portland, Oregon. It crashed and resulted in the loss of 10 lives. While the fuel was running out, the crew was focusing their investigation on the landing gear to see that it was deployed properly after noticing a jolt and the plane moving to the right. After this scenario was over, a heightened need for crews to properly interact as a team paved the way for a new management technique called Crew Resource Management. Crew members were trained to notice fuel that was running low, and to communicate this information effectively to the captain.

If you were on a plane where the crew followed incorrect procedures and were poorly trained beforehand, you may have a case against the airline and crew. Call our team of personal injury attorneys today at 888-355-4752.

Mechanical Failure

Mechanical failure accounts for about 22% of all aviation accidents. As opposed to pilot error, it occurs as a flaw in the plane’s design. For example, a West African Airways flight to Nigeria crashed in 1955 due to a flawed wing design, which led to metal fatigue cracks and wing failure. If something outside the plane interferes with the flight, this can also count to mechanical failure. A United Airlines flight in 1962 crashed because it was struck by a single swan that tore off the plane’s left horizontal stabilizer.

Because mechanical failures are often the fault of the manufacturers of the plane, a person who was injured or killed on a flight due to a mechanical failure can have a case against the manufacturers. Call our team of personal injury attorneys today.

Weather

12% of all plane crashes are caused by weather. If you’ve ever been on a flight, you may have experienced the plane being grounded due to poor weather. This is usually standard procedure. However, sometimes unforeseen conditions such as lightning strikes can throw everything off balance. Lightning strikes can disable a plane, cause electrical failure, ignite tanks and pipes, and cause temporary blindness for the pilot. Milder conditions such as fog can cause plane crashes as well. Thick fog can interfere with the pilot’s vision. In 2010, an Indonesian plane carrying 103 passengers crashed when the weather caused the pilot to overshoot the runway. The plane skidded into a pool of water at the end of the runway and crashed into a nearby hillside. Due to the impact of the crash, the jet broke in half. Although weather is a factor outside of the pilot’s control, a poorly trained pilot in bad weather can be the difference between a safe flight and an emergency on the passengers’ hands. Call our team of aviation lawyers today if you were on a flight with a poorly trained pilot.

Aviation Lawyer Near Me

If you’ve been a survivor of a plane crash, or want representation for someone who died in a fatal crash and you want to sue the airline, we’re interested in hearing your case. The personal injury lawyers at Ellis Law have been handling various cases for over twenty years, including cases involving aviation accidents. Whether you’re a pilot who wants to sue the airline, or a passenger who wants to sue the pilot, we’re eager to handle your representation in court. Contact us online or call us today at 888-355-4752.

Meet Our Attorneys


Herb Ellis

Partner

Herbert Ellis


Jonathan Ellis

Partner

Jonathan Ellis


Amy

Associate

Amy Buchansky-Francesco


Stephen Slavoff, Jr.

Associate

Stephen Slavoff, Jr.


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