Kreindler Represents Family Following Bombardier Challenger Airplane Crash
Summary
On November 28, 2004, a Canadair Bombardier Challenger 600 airplane crashed, killing three people on board. This Challenger 600 aircraft has a dangerous design flaw that was implicated in a similar aviation accident in 2002.
The deaths of three people, including the son of NBC television executive Dick Ebersol and his wife, actress Susan Saint James in the crash of a chartered jet on November 28, 2004, in Montrose, CO, further confirm a dangerous design flaw on the airplane’s wings that has already been implicated in a similar 2002 aviation accident, claim Kreindler attorneys.
When the NTSB determines the probable cause of the crash carrying the Ebersol family, it should address the particular susceptibility of the Bombardier Challenger 600 to icing on the wings.
What Happened
Bombardier,
manufacturer of the Challenger aircraft, did not admit until after the 2004 Montrose crash
that potentially dangerous wing contamination might be too small for pilots to
see, even though this problem had been identified and made clear to the
manufacturer by British aviation investigators after a similar Challenger jet
crash in January 2002.
British
authorities had called for improved procedures for ice detection, realizing
that an unsafe amount of ice, snow, slush or frost might be present on the
wings but invisible to the flight crew. Prior to the tragic accident, the pilots
of Mr. Ebersol's charter flight viewed the wings and determined they were in
"good" and "clear" condition.
Aviation accidents are typically the result of multiple contributing factors, but the bottom line in this case is that Bombardier never advised Challenger pilots that contamination too small to be seen can cause a catastrophic loss of control on takeoff. Knowing the particular susceptibility of these wings, the manufacturer owed it to all passengers and crew to advise the pilots that they must actually touch the wings to be sure they are safe.
Shortly
after the crash, the NTSB noted that non-slatted turbo jet transport aircraft, like the Bombardier Challenger, have been involved in a disproportionate number of
crashes on takeoff where ice was a contributing factor.
Despite the accident and research evidence indicating that small, almost visually imperceptible amounts of ice accumulation on the upper surface of a wing can cause the same aerodynamic penalties as much larger (and more visible) ice accumulations, recent accidents indicate that the pilot community still may not appreciate the potential consequences of small amounts of ice.
About Kreindler & Kreindler
Kreindler is one of the largest and most distinguished aviation accident law firms in the world. Since 1950, our attorneys have served as lead counsel in nearly every major commercial aviation disaster litigation. Additionally, we have handled countless private, charter, military, general aviation and helicopter accident cases. Our partners have authored numerous highly acclaimed books, articles and treatises on aviation litigation, including the leading treatise in the field, Aviation Accident Law.
Aviation accidents are typically the result of multiple contributing factors, but the bottom line in this case is that Bombardier never advised Challenger pilots that contamination too small to be seen can cause a catastrophic loss of control on takeoff. Knowing the particular susceptibility of these wings, the manufacturer owed it to all passengers and crew to advise the pilots that they must actually touch the wings to be sure they are safe.