Just before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, three people were killed when two small planes, a Beechcraft F33A Bonanza and Diamond DA20C1, collided in mid-air at an airport in Carroll County, Georgia. The West Georgia Regional Airport, where the crash occurred, is a public airport with a single runway. The airport is also non-controlled, meaning that there is no air traffic control tower; pilots are responsible for announcing their landings, takeoffs, and locations to each other. The single-engine planes collided as they were both coming down for their final approaches.
Witnesses say that the two planes did not see each other as they came in for their final approach, and one plane came down on top of the other in mid-air, causing them both to tumble to the ground. It is ultimately the pilot’s responsibility to fly safely, but flying in a private plane is much more dangerous than flying commercially. As neither plane had voice recorders, investigators will be relying on witness testimonials for a large part of their information. The Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board.
The well-rounded legal team at Pope & Howard, P.C. has extensive experience dealing with aviation accidents, wrongful death lawsuits and other personal injury cases. Whether the accident was due to faulty parts, pilot negligence, weather, or another variable, Pope & Howard, P.C. has experience with private plane crashes and the intricate legalities and proceedings that they entail. Contact us if you were affected by a plane crash, or have questions about your legal rights. Call 404.885.9999 or fill out the online contact form on our website.