City Had Filed The Suit Against A Pilot Who Went Down In A Residential Neighborhood

The Glendale, CA City Council has postponed a closed-door discussion of a lawsuit it has filed against the pilot of a plane that went down in a residential neighborhood two years ago.

The Glendale News-Press reports that the city had sued pilot James Roth in January for damaged to power lines and trees caused when he was forced to make an emergency landing on May 21, 2012. He had been flying from Phoenix, AZ to Van Nuys, CA when the airplane, a Cessna P210N, experienced "severe surging of the engine," according to the NTSB's preliminary report. The report goes on to describe the emergency landing:

"The pilot reported that while descending below 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) he experienced a severe surging of the engine. He advised air traffic controllers that he had an emergency, and needed the closest airport. The controller advised the pilot that the nearest airport was El Monte airport (EMT), El Monte, California, which was located behind him and to the south. He was also told that Bob Hope Airport (BUR), Burbank, California, was in front of him. The pilot was familiar with BUR and felt it was his best choice to attempt to land at BUR.

"As the pilot got closer to the airport, he determined he was not going to be able to land at the airport. He attempted to land on a quiet street but he did not see the power lines until it was too late.

"The airplane impacted a telephone/power pole on the northwest corner of Cleveland Road and Glenwood Road in the city of Glendale. The airplane continued westbound hitting an oak tree and a vehicle. The airplane came to rest inverted in the front yard of a residence on Glenwood Road."

The pilot sustained only minor injuries from the accident, according to the NTSB.

The city originally tried to recoup losses and expenses for emergency personnel responding to the accident from pilot James Roth's insurance company. They sued the pilot after the company would not pay on a technical issue.

The case is currently set to go to trial in July of 2015.

FMI: www.glendaleca.gov/government/city-council