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
Aviation Law Monitor
Insight and Commentary on aviation accidents and the law
The Aviation Law Monitor, published by Danko Meredith, focuses on legal issues related to aviation accidents and incidents. It covers topics such as liability and negligence in aircraft crashes, the application of the Federal Tort Claims Act in lawsuits against the military and air traffic control, aircraft certification and airworthiness concerns, and the investigation of aviation accidents by the National Transportation Safety Board. The blog discusses legal challenges arising from pilot errors, mechanical failures, air traffic control procedures, and regulatory compliance. It also addresses the complexities of suing government entities and the nuances of aviation safety regulations.
Latest from Aviation Law Monitor - Page 3
Montreal Convention Does Not Protect United Airlines From Passenger’s Malicious Prosecution Lawsuit
By Mike Danko
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…
Safari Helicopter Crash On Kauai – Another Hawai’ian CFIT?
By Mike Danko
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…
737 Max: Boeing CEO At Loss for Words When Confronted With FNC Commentary
By Mike Danko
The first thing Boeing does when sued for a crash on foreign soil is try to get those lawsuits moved out of the US and into the foreign countries. In the case of the 737 Max cases, it means trying…
New Film Challenges NTSB
By Mike Danko
The National Transportation Board investigates every general aviation accident. It chalks up the vast majority to pilot error. But half the time, it’s just wrong.
The trouble’s that, in investigating an accident, the NTSB refuses to consult with the pilot’s…
Evidence from Bell Helicopter Case Yields Clue in Unsolved Murder Investigation; Exposes Aviation Industry Influence
By Mike Danko
The FAA is too cozy with the manufacturers it is supposed to regulate. I’ve been writing about that since 2009. The press is just now becoming interested, asking how the FAA ever allowed the 737 Max to be certified…
Ethiopian Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610: Keeping Lawsuits Against Boeing in the US
By Mike Danko
Families of both Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610 have sued Boeing in Cook County, Illinois. To win, the families need prove only that a defect in the design of the Boeing 737 Max contributed to the…
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302: Can Families Hold the FAA Liable For Certifying the Boeing 737 Max 800 As Safe When It Wasn’t?
By Mike Danko
Normally, the FAA cannot be sued for doing a bad job certifying an aircraft as safe. But in the case of the 737 Max, things might be different.
As a general rule, the FAA cannot be sued as long as,…
FAA’s Approval of the 737 Max Questioned – But Why Now?
By Mike Danko
Both the Department of Justice and Transportation Department’s inspector general are investigating the FAA’s approval of the Boeing 737 Max and, in particular, the aircraft’s anti-stall system known as MCAS.
The FAA is supposed to ensure that Boeing aircraft are…
The Boeing 737 Max 8 Controversy Explained
By Mike Danko
The Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 was originally intended for short haul flights to short runways. One of the 737’s unique design features was that the engines were mounted on the underside of the wing, instead of in front of…