Danko Meredith

NTSB Blames Collings Foundation, FAA for Fatal Crash of Sightseeing B-17

By Mike Danko

April 22, 2021

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On October 2, 2019, a World War II-era B-17 flying fortress bomber departed Bradley International Airport in Connecticut for a local sightseeing flight with 10 paying tourists on board. Shortly after takeoff the pilot radioed that he was returning to the airport because of an engine problem. A witness reported an engine was sputtering and smoking. Ultimately, the pilot reported a problem with yet another of the aircraft’s engines. The airplane crashed on the airport…

California Personal Injury Law Case Notes

Criminal Charges Against PG&E Will Not Help Victims of Kincade Fire

By Mike Danko

April 18, 2021

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KPIX5 asks Mike Danko about the criminal charges brought against PG&E for its role in the Kincade fire. Danko explains that even if a jury renders a guilty verdict, no one at PG&E will go to jail. It’s the civil justice system, not the criminal justice system, that compensates victims for their losses. …

California Personal Injury Law Case Notes

Vegetation Management Lapses Subjects PG&E to Heightened Oversight

By Mike Danko

February 26, 2021

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The CPUC seeks greater oversight over PG&E’s safety practices after finding that PG&E is not properly prioritizing the electrical lines that need tree trimming. KRONTV4 asks Mike Danko what it means.…

California Personal Injury Law Case Notes

PG&E at Fault for Kincade Fire

By Mike Danko

July 17, 2020

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KRONTV asks about the Cal Fire’s new report blaming PG&E for the Kincade Fire. I talk the possibility of further criminal charges against PG&E and how Cal Fire’s findings may affect victims waiting to be compensated for the Butte, North Bay, and Camp Fires. …

Aviation Law Monitor

Byron Tow Plane Crash: Glider Pilot Error?

By Mike Danko

May 10, 2020

The pilot of a Bellanca 8GCBC Scout, Registration N4116Y, died when the aircraft crashed at Byron Airport on May 9th. According to a witness, the tow plane took off pulling a glider. While still at a low altitude, the glider climbed abruptly. The maneuver pulled the tail of the tow plane into the air, pointing its nose down. “The tow plane cut the cord and tried to recover but it was too late.” The…

Aviation Law Monitor

Kobe Bryant Crash: NTSB Update Points to Improper VFR into IMC

By Mike Danko

February 10, 2020

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From the outset it looked to me as though the Kobe Bryant crash was a simple case of “continued VFR into IMC” — a crash caused by a pilot wandering into clouds and fog and losing control of the helicopter and crashing. The NTSB’s update seems to confirm just that. Here are the four important points from the update: A photograph of the helicopter seems to show it entering clouds. The pilot was on a…

California Personal Injury Law Case Notes

CNBC Asks About What Lies Ahead for PG&E and Our Clients

By Mike Danko

January 31, 2020

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CNBC asked me and Governor Newsom about PG&E’s future. PG&E hopes to exit bankruptcy by June 30. It’s plan calls for $13.5 billion to be set aside for its victims to make claims against. The trouble is, if PG&E can’t get its planned approved by June 30, it will lose access to a $21 billion fund that will help protect its financial condition in the event of future wildfires. If it can’t get access to…

Aviation Law Monitor

Kobe Bryant Crash: Controlled Flight Into Terrain?

By Mike Danko

January 27, 2020

Helicopters come to grief all too often after encountering clouds or fog. In fact, it seems that it was an encounter with low clouds that lead to the fatal Safari Helicopter Crash on Kauai just a few weeks ago. Fog can lead to a helicopter crash in two ways. First, the pilot can, upon encountering clouds, lose track of the horizon. Once that happens, the pilot may not know which way is up. The disoriented…

Aviation Law Monitor

Montreal Convention Does Not Protect United Airlines From Passenger’s Malicious Prosecution Lawsuit

By Mike Danko

January 13, 2020

A passenger boarded a United flight from Rome to San Francisco. He asked for food. The flight attendant refused. The two exchanged words. Eventually, another flight attendant heard the argument and brought the passenger some crackers. The passenger ate the crackers, took his seat, and went to sleep. While the passenger slept, the flight attendant convinced the pilot to land the plane. The pilot diverted to Belfast. On landing, the flight attendant reported to the…

Aviation Law Monitor

Safari Helicopter Crash On Kauai – Another Hawai’ian CFIT?

By Mike Danko

December 29, 2019

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Of course it’s too early to know why the Safari Helicopters AStar crashed this week, killing all aboard. But it sure looks like a long line of other Hawai’ian tour crashes that fall under the category “Controlled Flight Into Terrain,” or CFIT for short. Hawai’i is subject to “microclimates.” The weather can be fine at the helicopter’s point of departure, but the pilot can encounter clouds, rain or fog along the route. The pilot…

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NTSB Blames Collings Foundation, FAA for Fatal Crash of Sightseeing B-17

Criminal Charges Against PG&E Will Not Help Victims of Kincade Fire

Vegetation Management Lapses Subjects PG&E to Heightened Oversight

PG&E at Fault for Kincade Fire

Byron Tow Plane Crash: Glider Pilot Error?

Kobe Bryant Crash: NTSB Update Points to Improper VFR into IMC

CNBC Asks About What Lies Ahead for PG&E and Our Clients

Kobe Bryant Crash: Controlled Flight Into Terrain?

Montreal Convention Does Not Protect United Airlines From Passenger’s Malicious Prosecution Lawsuit

Safari Helicopter Crash On Kauai – Another Hawai’ian CFIT?

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