Andrew Ingram Was Fatally Injured In East Palo Alto Accident

The family of 31-year-old Andrew Ingram, who was among those killed when a Cessna 310 went down in a residential neighborhood in East Palo Alto, CA, has sued the estate of the pilot, who was also killed in the crash.

The lawsuit names the estate of 56-year-old Douglas Bourn, whom Ingram's family says showed negligence for originating the flight in foggy weather. It also names Air Unique, the company which owned the airplane.

Bourn allegedly had not flown the 310 for 18 months before attempting the flight which struck power lines and then went down in a residential neighborhood moments after departure in fog. The San Jose Mercury News reports that the Ingram's attorney, Frank Pitre, said in a written statement "This plane crash could have been avoided if the owner and operator of the aircraft, Douglas Bourn, demonstrated concern for the safety of his passengers -- instead of blatant disregard for his lack of recent flying experience, poor weather and the condition of his aircraft."

In the legal documents filed San Mateo Superior Court, Ingram's attorney's point to communications between Bourn and ATC, in which Bourn is told twice that he is "not cleared for takeoff" due to the weather. Bourn was told that the tower could not see the runway in the fog, and that any departure was "at your own risk." Bourn reportedly replied "OK, 25 Juillet, rolling."

Bourn, who worked for Tesla Motors along with Ingram and the third person on the aircraft, Brian Finn, was flying himself and his co-workers from Palo Alto to Hawthorne, CA, where the company does some design work.

The suit filed Tuesday does not specify a dollar amount of damages.

FMI: www.sanmateocourt.org