Raytheon Still On The Hook

The family of an Oklahoma State University basketball player -- one of ten killed in an aviation accident three years ago, have settled for $1.6 million, according to an Oklahoma City newspaper.

The settlement was split among the parents and son of 21-year old Daniel Lawson, who died in the March 21st when a King Air 200 carrying two pilots and ten players went down near Strasberg, CO. The NTSB, whose findings aren't admissible in court, listed the pilot's spatial disorientation suffered when the aircraft lost AC power.

Ramses B. Hereford, Lawson's son, received $440,139. Lawson's parents each received $223,238. The remaining money -- almost $730,000 -- was awarded to attorneys, according to court records.

The relatives of five other players killed in the mishap also reached a settlement over the weekend, after two days of talks with lawyers representing the estate of pilot Denver Mills, North Bay Charter, Marathon Power Technologies and Marathon Flite-Tronic. The awards in those cases were not disclosed.

But Mills' daughter, along with families of Lawson and the other players on board -- Nate Fleming, Jared Weiberg, Bjorn Fahlstrom and Will Hancock -- aren't done yet. They're all going after Raytheon. Mills' family wants $12 million. The family of Will Hancock wants $25 million.

"We believe that when the evidence is made public, everyone will know the accident was caused by problems Raytheon had the opportunity to correct," said Mills' daughter. "The evidence will show that the airplane failed everyone on the plane, including my father."

Raytheon walked out of negotiations in April. Mills' and Hancock's suits against the aircraft manufacturer go to trial in March.

FMI: www.raytheon.com