The same hard work and results for which Kreindler & Kreindler LLP receives significant attention in major air disaster litigation are repeated in general aviation cases. We have won numerous suits against manufacturers of small aircraft, helicopters and component parts makers.
Bell Helicopter Engine Failure
The firm represented the family of the president of America's top entertainment company who was killed in a Bell helicopter crash. The government investigation found that the helicopter operator was responsible because snow had filled the engine's air intake while the helicopter was parked. The operator, however, had limited insurance coverage. Our investigation revealed that the manufacturer knew that small quantities of snow inside the intake could cause engine failure. We constructed a full scale model of the intake and showed that the manufacturer failed to provide the means to prevent snow from entering the intake and that an operator had no proper means to check for and remove snow. Our work resulted in a substantial settlement from the manufacturer.
Cessna Fuel Exhaustion
We represented the family of a businessman who was a passenger killed in the crash of a Cessna aircraft. The government investigators found that the plane ran out of fuel and singled out pilot error as the sole cause. The pilot was the passenger's co-employee, however, and could not be sued. We uncovered evidence from a series of other fuel exhaustion accidents and conducted extensive fueling tests. We proved that the pilot had been misled because the plane did not actually hold the amount of fuel which the manufacturer stated in its manual. At trial, the jury found that the aircraft was defective and awarded full compensation to the family.
Vacuum Pump Failure
We represented the families of persons killed in five different crashes. While the cause of the accidents was a mystery, our investigation and bench tests pointed to a faulty pump that could fail suddenly and unpredictably without warning. We were successful in obtaining substantial awards from the manufacturer of the pump. The cases led to a change in aircraft design to provide for backup pumps.
