The wives of two men who were killed in an aviation accident last year have filed separate $10 million lawsuits against the estate of the allegedly negligent pilot.
The suits
The lawsuits, filed in Spotsylvania County Circuit Court, claim that the pilot, Rick Potter, piloted the Columbia 400 aircraft negligently on Feb. 22, 2006, resulting in the crash that killed Potter, and the two men whose wives are suing: Graham Green III and Michael Gus Pappas.
A fourth man, Albert “Buck” Jacoby, also died in the crash, but his family has not filed a lawsuit yet.
The suits filed by wives Carole Green and Amy Pappas are almost identical. They both claim that the pilot “deviated from safe operating practices.”
The Accident
The suits allege that Potter negligently failed to get an up-to-date weather briefing before leaving the airport. If he had gotten one, the suit said, he would have known to choose an alternate airport for landing.
The suit also said that the pilot failed to familiarize himself with the alternate airport despite the fact that he “was only recently familiar” with the model of airplane he was piloting.
The suit also claims that the pilot broke instrument-landing requirements at the airport by dropping below 200 feet without being able to see the runway. He should have considered the run a missed approach and made another attempt, the suit said.
The National Transportation Safety Board has published a factual account of the crash but has not released a cause.
Albert M. Orgain IV, attorney for Potter's estate said the crash has had a grave impact on the Potter family and everyone involved. “It's a tragic situation,” he said.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in an aviation accident, you may be able to recover compensation for pain, suffering, medical expenses, loss of life, or more. Please contact us today for a complimentary consultation with an experienced and effective personal injury attorney who is an aviation law expert.
Search for a Personal Injury lawyer in your state or province by using the forms to the right.
Let us help you locate a personal injury attorney. Enter the zip code in which you were injured below.
USA ZIP
For Canadian Law Firms