Says Crash 'Raises Significant Aviation Safety And Legal Concerns'

The ground is not yet completely cleared of wreckage following the September 19 takeoff accident of a chartered Learjet 60 business jet near Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) in Columbia, SC... but lawyers for one law firm apparently caught the very first ambulance out of town, and are prepared for what will surely be a series of protracted legal battles.

As ANN reported, four people were killed when the Lear sped off the runway at CAE and crashed into a berm. Fatalities included both pilots of the relatively new jet; the two survivors of the accident, both well-known members of the rock music world and Hollywood party circuit, both suffered severe burns in the late-night accident.

This week, the National Transportation Safety Board said a cockpit voice recording from the jet indicates, "The crew reacted to a sound that was consistent with a tire blowout." NTSB member Debbie Hersman added pieces of tire were recovered about 2,800 feet from where the plane started its takeoff run on the 8,600-foot runway.

Stuart Fraenkel, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Kreindler & Kreindler LLP, was quick to note the accident raises several 'important questions.' "What is the quality of the maintenance on these charter aircraft? Was the runway environment safe for the aircraft's departure? Was the aircraft properly checked out and configured by the crew prior to the attempted takeoff? What can be done to improve the procedures and protocols for charter operators?"

Fraenkel also notes other Lears have suffered similar problems -- with two models of the popular business aircraft experiencing tire blowouts on takeoff, one in 1994 and another in 2001. "In the prior incidents, the jets were traveling down the runway for takeoff when one or more tires failed," Fraenkel said. "In the 2001 case, showers of sparks were observed soon after the failure of its outboard right main tire manufactured by Goodyear. Both cases thankfully resulted in no injuries to those aboard."

As you might expect, no mention is made anywhere in the Kreindler release about the tens of thousands of routine operations Lears of all stripes have conducted in that same timeframe.

The NTSB's probable cause report is still at least 10 months away. No doubt, the lawsuits will start flying much sooner.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.kreindler.com/