Their Home Was Struck By An Uninsured Airplane In December

A home in St. Simons Island, GA belonging to Sinclair and Deborah Frederick was hit by an airplane on December 13. The home-built biplane was destroyed by the impact, and its 68-year-old pilot, James Ron Wood, was fatally injured.

When the Fredericks went to have their home repaired, they found that the airplane was not covered by liability insurance, and they are having difficulty paying for repairs on their home, some of which remain unfinished.

The Florida Times-Union reports that while the structure was not extensively damaged, the construction technique used in 1959 when the house was built involved prefabricated steel components which are no longer available. Wood's estate does not have the assets to cover the damage.

The Fredericks questioned why the Glynn County Airport Commission does not require liability insurance, but such a mandate would have to come from the FAA, according to the airport manager. However, DeKalb Peachtree Airport does require pilots who base their airplanes there does require a $1 million liability policy, according to airport director Mike Van Wie.

The Fredericks, meanwhile, have done what repairs they can to their home, and the roof no longer leaks. But the paper reports that they have had no luck finding replacement steel parts for a 1959 house, and don't know if they ever will.

FMI: http://flygcairports.com/