The first federal trial during the open -air collision in January near DC is deposited against American Airlines and the US government

Washington
–

The family of a man killed in the open -air collision of January near Washington, DC, continues the American airlines, the regional reaction operator PSA Airlines and the federal government, according to a trial filed on Wednesday.

Rachel Crafton, whose husband Casey was on the passengers plane, laid down unjustified death and negligence.

This is the first federal trial for the collision that killed 67 people when a Black Hawk Army Black helicopter and American Eagle Flight 5342 collided on the Potomac river.

“The defendants knew, or should have known, that e 5342 passed on one of the most frequented air spaces in the United States, and they had or should know that airport approaches presented certain safety risks, specifically including the possibility of an outdoor collision,” said the trial.

The army helicopter stole too high, and the pilots of the two planes “have completely failed in their responsibilities” to see and avoid the other plane, he said.

American Airlines has “manipulated and abused” the arrival rate system to add more flights per hour “despite his knowledge that making safety margins so seriously”, according to the pursuit.

American responded to the trial, saying that he continues to “cry lost life in the tragic accident”, but that the blame rests with the army.

“Flight 5342 was on a routine approach to the DCA when the army helicopter – which was above the altitude of the published helicopter road – collided with it,” said the airline. “We continue to support the NTSB in -course investigation and will defend American and PSA airlines against any legal action claiming that the airline has caused or contributed to this accident.”

The trial also mentions the flight maneuvers of passenger jet pilots and the decision to accept the supply of air traffic control to land on the “more difficult” track 33, despite the planning to land on track 1.

“I really don’t want to but I suppose that Uhhh tells them -,” the captain told the first officer, according to the trial. “It’s good, we have the figures … We will be 33.”

Tim Lilley, father of the first officer, Sam Lilley, published a statement explaining that the family did not participate in the trial or a subsequent press conference.

“All those who have lost a loved one in the accident of January 29 have the right to continue the way he feels is the best,” said Lilley. “We respect these choices while standing united with the common goal of ensuring that no family is again suffering from such a preventable tragedy.”

The National Transportation Safety Board survey has not yet determined a probable cause of the collision. A final report is expected when the investigation ends in January.

Applicant’s husband

Casey Crafton, whose wife Rachel filed the trial on Wednesday, was a “devoted father and husband,” she said in a statement by his lawyer.

“Our lives were broken in a moment, and the sorrow was unimaginable,
She said. “The future we dreamed of has been removed from us.”

Casey had a career in aviation, first as a mechanic and then as a technical service manager.

“Casey was betrayed by this system in which he trusts,” she said. “We take legal action because the responsibility of American Airlines, PSA Airlines and the army and the FAA is the only way to make sure that this is not happening again and that no other family should live with the pain that we must endure every day without Casey.”

This summer, the NTSB held three days of hearings to investigate the probable cause of the accident. The hearings have covered audio discovered from the incident in the army helicopter, the formation of air traffic control and the main organizational structures that may have led to the mortal incident.

Before the NTTSB investigation, legislators had called the Federal Aviation Administration, the NTSB and the army in Capitol Hill to testify. The role of the army in the accident has long been a point of discussion since the incident, and the families of the victims felt like they had heard of the army.

In July, senator Ted Cruz, president of the Senate Commerce Committee, Science and Transportation presented a bill that would force plane operators to install key anti-collision technology on all flights and demand that the army continue in almost all cases. The helicopter which collided with the passenger plane did not diffuse the monitoring data of the ADS-B due to a rule which allowed the army to fly with the disabled system.