A plane crash is a tragedy that reverberates far beyond the scene of the accident. Whether it’s a charter plane crash, small aircraft accident, plane crash into a house, mid-air collision, or runway crash, the physical, emotional, and financial costs are staggering. Families are often left with grief, unanswered questions, and the daunting challenge of taking legal action against powerful entities — including airlines, aircraft manufacturers, maintenance providers, and even government agencies.
For decades, our aviation attorneys have represented victims of every type of crash, from planes flying into buildings to runway collisions and inflight turbulence injuries. We know where to look for answers, who to hold accountable, and how to secure compensation.
Charter flights—often organized for business travel, special events, or private tours—are typically subject to less FAA oversight than commercial airlines. This reduced regulation can mean:
Fatal accidents involving private and chartered planes happen significantly more often than commercial airline crashes. Since 2000, fatal charter plane crashes have occurred at a rate far exceeding commercial accidents, with pilot error playing a role in approximately 88% of these tragedies. Fatigue, poor judgment, and skipped safety procedures commonly contribute to these preventable crashes.
On March 29, 2001, an Avjet charter plane crash involving a Gulfstream III business jet occurred at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in the Aspen Mountains of Colorado. The charter plane took off late, even though the flight crew was aware that the delay would have them arrive at or near the time that the airport would be closed for landings. Under pressure to get the charter clients to their destination on time, the pilot disregarded the obvious safety risks and attempted to make an illegal landing in the dark despite knowing that several other airplanes had performed missed approaches due to an inability to perform an instrument approach. Unfortunately, the plane missed the runway. The resulting charter plane crash killed all 18 people onboard. The family we represented received a $9.5 million jury award for the tragic death of their daughter.
On August 2, 2007 during a chartered helicopter flight to visit a logging site in Washington State, failure of the tail blade of a Robinson R44 II helicopter caused the pilot of the aircraft to perform an emergency landing resulting in a low energy impact crash. The post impact fire that ensued killed all four people onboard and ignited a 485 acre forest fire. Our firm sued Robinson Helicopter Company, alleging that a defect in the main rotor drive shaft caused it to fracture and puncture the unreinforced fuel tanks, causing the post-crash fire. Our firm settled this case on the eve of trial for a confidential amount.
On March 13, 2008, three passengers from a local university were on a chartered flight with Kemper Aviation to study migratory birds, when the plane apparently stalled and crashed. According to the NTSB inspection, an inoperative stall warning horn was reported on this plane twice before the crash. The maintenance personnel in charge of the plane claimed that after inspecting the horn after both incidents, it was found to be operative. Upon inspection of the plane by authorities after the crash, it was discovered that the stall warning horn was inoperative at the time of the crash. The pilot was the co-owner of Kemper Aviation incorporated. The charter plane crash killed all three passengers and the pilot. This was the third fatal crash in six months involving Kemper Aviation and all three events involved alleged maintenance negligence.
While plane crashes are overall rare occurrences, the vast majority of loss of life and serious injury occurs on a private or general aviation flight involving few, if any passengers. In studies performed by the NTSB, general aviation accidents are far more common than commercial aircraft accidents. For example, in 2011 the NTSB found that 94 percent of all fatal aviation accidents involved a small plane crash.
While the numbers of commercial airline accidents in the United States have declined greatly in the last decade, the number of small plane crashes has remained steady, resulting in at least one small plane crash per 100,000 flight hours. According to LiveScience, if you compare flight hours per small plane crash to driving hours per fatal car crash, a trip on a private plane could be 19 times more dangerous than your average car ride.
General aviation accidents are more common than commercial airline accidents because they do not have the same internal protections or technologies used in commercial airliners. Accidents require a thorough investigation and an experienced aviation attorney to pursue an investigation against all potential defendants.
Our firm has decades of experience dealing with the many legal issues that arise following a small plane crash. We have handled crash litigation involving private, commercial and charter planes, including more than 100 Cessna, Piper, or Beechcraft planes. We have also handled cases involving aircraft manufactured by Bellanca, Grumman, Luscombe, Mooney, Maule, Rockwell and more. Our firm has even represented those people harmed in hot air balloon accidents. At Wisner Baum, we believe our track record speaks for itself. Below you will find a list demonstrating some of our small plane crash case history.
While large commercial jet crashes into homes are rare, general aviation accidents into residential areas are more common — especially near small airports in densely populated neighborhoods.
Most occur when a small plane or helicopter encounters trouble near takeoff or landing. Contributing factors include:
In many cases, planes crash just short of an intended runway after being routed from a small airport to another location — wasting valuable time and altitude.
In one of our most recent cases, a Beechcraft Bonanza crashed into a home in Palm Coast, Florida, killing all three people on board. The potential causes of the crash were not apparent until our firm took a closer look at the incident. In this case, when the pilot reported a vibration in his engine to air traffic control, the FAA air-traffic controller directed him to an airport, which they said was only five miles away.
Our lawsuit, on behalf of the family of one of the deceased passengers, argues that the airport the controller suggested was not the closest airport since there was another airport available that was two miles closer. We also contend that there were additional errors made by the controllers who directed the pilot to fly farther away from the airport and perform numerous turns, which caused the aircraft to lose precious altitude while having insufficient engine power. Tragically, these events culminated in the airplane crashing into a home less than a mile from the airport.
Contrary to popular belief, most occur in daylight, clear weather, when pilots operate under visual flight rules (VFR). The majority occur within five miles of airports or in high‑traffic zones such as sightseeing corridors or training areas. Over 80% involve an overtaking aircraft, often on final approach.
General aviation planes and helicopters — with no set airline schedules, less ATC oversight, and often fewer onboard collision‑avoidance systems — are far more represented in mid‑air accidents than commercial jets.
Causes & Contributing Factors:
Even experienced pilots can miss conflicting traffic when converging planes close at high speed, leaving only seconds to react.
Cessna 130P and Cessna 172N Collision — On May 18, 2009, while performing practice turns in a common practice area about five miles south of the Long Beach Harbor in California, a flight training plane occupied by an instructor and student was hit by another plane, operated by a certified airline transport pilot. The resulting crash killed all three occupants of the two Cessna planes.
Cessna 172N and Cessna 150M Collision — On January 20, 2008, after one Cessna turned and entered the traffic pattern to land on a runway at Corona Municipal Airport in Corona, California, it collided at a perpendicular angle with another Cessna that had just taken off from the same runway. Both pilots and their passengers, totaling four people, were killed during the accident. An additional person on the ground was also killed by falling debris.
Piper PA-28-180 and Piper PA-44-180 Collision – On March 7, 1996, a privately registered Piper PA-28-180 and a Piper PA-44-180 registered to Phoenix East Aviation, Inc., collided in flight. The planes were approximately 600 feet above sea level and around one-quarter of a mile offshore of Flagler Beach, Florida. Both flights took off from the Daytona Beach Regional Airport in Florida and both aircraft were destroyed. The pilot and three passengers on the privately registered Piper—which was on a sightseeing flight—and the certified flight instructor and pilot-rated student on the Phoenix East Piper all died in the collision. A witness reported that neither pilot took evasive action before the collision. Both planes plummeted into the water after the collision. The NTSB blamed the crash on the failure of both pilots to maintain visual lookout and avoid conflicting traffic.
Cessna 182R and Cessna 170A Collision – On February 24, 1996, a Cessna 182R and a Cessna 170A collided approximately 1,000 feet above the ground in Proctor, AR. All four people died in the collision. Witnesses said the two planes were traveling in opposite directions on a collision course. Both planes banked to the left to avoid a collision but were unable to do so. After the planes collided, they descended to the ground, ultimately coming to rest nose-down approximately one-half mile apart. A pilot who witnessed the collision said there was no glare from the sun setting and visibility was estimated at more than 20 miles. The NTSB blamed the crash on the failure of the pilots to see and avoid the other plane.
Beech A36 and Stinson 108-2 Collision – On February 19, 1989, a Beech A36 Bonanza and a Stinson 108-2 collided midair above Glen Falls, NY, killing six people. The Bonanza had just taken off from Warren County airport and had turned right while beginning its climb at the same time the Stinson was returning to the airport. The planes collided approximately one mile north of the uncontrolled airport. The NTSB attributed the crash to failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other. Related factors included failure of the Beechcraft to make a normal left turn out of traffic and glare from the sun affecting the Stinson pilot’s visual perception.
McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 and Piper PA-28-181 Archer Collision – On August 31, 1986, a McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 operating as Aeromexico Flight 498 was clipped by a Piper PA-28-181 Archer during its descent into Los Angeles International Airport. Both planes plummeted from the sky, crashing in the Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos. All 67 individuals aboard both planes were killed as were 15 people on the ground. Two individuals on the ground suffered severe emotional distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder, even though not physically struck by debris from the crash. Investigators placed equal blame for the crash on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the pilot of the Piper.
Boeing 727-214 and Cessna 172 Collision – On September 25, 1978, A Boeing 727-214 operating as Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 collided with a Cessna 172 over the San Diego neighborhood of North Park. All 137 people aboard both planes were killed in the mid-air collision, along with seven people on the ground. The NTSB found that the crash was probably caused by the failure of the Pacific Southwest Airlines flight crew to properly follow air traffic control procedures.
According to Boeing’s data, nearly half of all aviation accidents happen during final approach or landing, and another 14% during takeoff or initial climb. These are the most critical phases of flight, with minimal room for error. Common causes of runway accidents include pilot error, air traffic controller error, mechanical failure or design defects, maintenance errors, and inclement weather.
Commonly referred to as a runway overrun, a runway excursion is when an aircraft veers off or overruns the runway surface. Runway excursions occur while an aircraft is taking off or landing and can involve a variety of factors ranging from unstable approaches, to the condition of the runway.
According to a study conducted by the Flight Safety Foundation, roughly 96 percent of all runway accidents and 80 percent of the deaths stemming from runway accidents, are the result of runway excursions. The Flight Safety Foundation study found that runway excursions are the most common type of all runway accidents. At Wisner Baum, our aviation attorneys have represented nearly 70 passengers in runway excursion cases.
The second most common type of runway accidents, according to the Flight Safety Foundation study, are runway incursions. These occur when an aircraft collides with an unauthorized vehicle, a person on the runway or another plane. Incursion runway accidents are not as common as excursion runway accidents, but they are certainly just as dangerous. In five fatal runway incursions that happened between 1995 and 2007, 129 people lost their lives. The deadliest runway incursion in history killed 583 people in the Canary Islands. Two Boeing 747s collided on March 27, 1977 at Los Rodeos Airport (now Tenerife North Airport) on the Spanish island of Tenerife.
Runway confusion is when a single plane uses the wrong runway or a taxiway during landing or takeoff. Only two fatal runway accidents in recent years have been attributed to runway confusion: Singapore Airlines Flight 006 and Comair Flight 5191.
On October 31, 2000, the pilots of Singapore Airlines Flight 006 attempted to take off on a closed runway, in the midst of a typhoon. The plane crashed into some construction equipment, killing 83 of the 179 people onboard. We represented four passengers injured in this runway accident.
Air travel may be statistically safer than driving, but non-crash inflight injuries are more common than many realize. These injuries can be severe and may result from turbulence, falling objects, galley equipment, or other onboard hazards.
The FAA estimates about 58 people in the U.S. are injured annually due to turbulence — often when seat belts aren’t fastened. Between 1980–2008, U.S. airlines reported 234 turbulence incidents, causing 298 serious injuries and three deaths. Two‑thirds occurred at or above 30,000 feet, and most victims were unbelted at the time.
Turbulence can result from:
Even mild-to-moderate turbulence can cause passengers or crew to be thrown against cabin walls, the ceiling, or into other passengers.
As “common carriers,” airlines must exercise a high degree of care for passenger safety — from boarding to deplaning. Negligence may include:
If turbulence was reasonably foreseeable and the airline failed to act — for example, by ignoring weather reports or delaying use of the seatbelt sign — they may be liable, even if they later claim “Act of God” status.
Commercial airline accidents are rare, but when they occur, the losses are devastating and the legal stakes are immense. These cases often involve multinational corporations, complex federal and international regulations, and multiple potential defendants.
Our firm has successfully litigated against every major U.S. airline involved in a crash since 1985, as well as numerous foreign carriers. We conduct exhaustive investigations to determine the cause, identify all responsible parties, and hold them accountable.
These landmark cases — involving everything from mechanical defects and maintenance negligence to air traffic control errors and corporate safety shortcuts — illustrate both the complexity of commercial airline litigation and our firm’s deep experience navigating it.
It is important to know that there may be very specific laws involved when dealing with an international airline accident that do not necessarily apply when dealing with U.S. airline accidents. An international treaty, known as the Montreal Convention, controls the legal rights of international travelers to sue the airlines for injuries suffered on an airliner. The Montreal Convention limits, although less than its predecessor (the Warsaw Convention), the types of recovery and where a victim or family can bring a claim.
Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 Crash: On January 9, 2021, a Boeing 737-500 with 62 people on board crashed into the Java Sea shortly after taking off from Indonesia’s capital Jakarta. There were no survivors. The flight was transporting 56 passengers and six crew members from Jakarta to Pontianak on the island of Borneo. All deceased passengers and crew members were Indonesian nationals. Wisner Baum aviation attorneys represent clients who lost loved ones in this crash.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Crash: On March 10, 2019, minutes after it took off from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operating as Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed, killing every person on the plane. The 157 victims included citizens of the United States, Britain, Canada, Ethiopia and many other countries. This crash was the second involving a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in less than five months, following the Lion Air crash in October 2018 (see below). After the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash, international regulators around the world grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with investigators finding that the crash was linked to the plane’s automatic flight control system. In January of 2021, the U.S. Justice Department announced that Boeing had agreed to resolve a criminal charge related to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) evaluation of the 737 MAX aircraft. Wisner Baum successfully represented the interests of several ET302 families in litigation against Boeing.
Lion Air Flight 610 Crash: On October 29, 2018, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating as Lion Air Flight JT 610 crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. The pilot told air traffic controllers the plane was experiencing “technical difficulties” just before the fatal crash. Boeing and the FAA both issued safety alerts following the Lion Air crash, and the aircraft was grounded worldwide after the ET302 crash. As it did for the families of the ET302 crash, Wisner Baum successfully represented the family of a passenger who died in the Lion Air crash.
Germanwings Flight 4U9525 Crash: On March 24, 2015, an Airbus A320 plane operated by Germanwings drastically lost altitude over the span of eight minutes before crashing into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on the plane. Investigators concluded that the flight’s co-pilot deliberately caused the crash by steering the plane into the mountains. Our firm successfully resolved a lawsuit brought by the family of the only two Americans killed in this crash. Through our litigation, we were able to change the law to allow the families of Americans who are killed while flying internationally to bring an action against a foreign airline in America.
American Airlines Flight 331 Crash: On 22 December 2009, Boeing 737-800 operating American Airlines Flight 331 crashed during landing in Kingston, Jamaica. The plane, with 148 passengers and six crew members on board, overran a runway and continued past the airport perimeter before breaking apart on the beach. Dozens of people sustained injuries. Wisner Baum successfully represented several families in cases.
TACA Airlines Flight 390 Crash: On May 30, 2008, an Airbus A320-233 operated by TACA overran the runway while attempting to land at Tegucigalpa's Toncontín International Airport in Honduras. The aircraft rolled into a street adjacent to the airport and crashed into an embankment, smashing several passenger vehicles in the process. Wisner Baum successfully represented the interests of several victims in cases.
Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 686 Crash: On October 8, 2001, a McDonnell Douglas MD-87 airliner operating as Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 686 was attempting to take off from Linate Airport in Milan, Italy when it collided with a Cessna Citation CJ2 business jet. All 114 people on both aircraft were killed, as well as four people on the ground. Known as the Linate Airport disaster, the crash is the deadliest commercial aviation accident in Italy’s history. Wisner Baum lawyers successfully represented an American family in a wrongful death case.
EgyptAir Flight 990 Crash: On October 31, 1999, a Boeing 767-300ER operating as EgyptAir Flight 990 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean roughly 60 miles outside of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. The crash killed all 217 passengers and crew members on the plane. Wisner Baum successfully resolved claims on behalf of nine families with wrongful death claims.
Korean Air Lines Flight 801 Crash: On August 6, 1997, a Boeing 747-3B5 operating as Korean Airlines Flight KE801 crashed on approach to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam, killing 228 of the 254 people on the plane. A post-crash investigation cited poor communication between the flight crew as the probable cause of the disaster, along with the flight captain's poor decision-making on the non-precision approach. Wisner Baum successfully represented multiple clients in cases.
Swissair Flight 111 Crash: On September 2, 1998, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 operating as Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia. All 229 passengers and crew members were killed in what became the deadliest McDonnell Douglas MD-11 crash in history. Investigators listed the probable cause as electrical and instrument failure due to in-flight fire, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft. Wisner Baum successfully resolved multiple wrongful death claims stemming from this tragedy.
Trans World Airlines Flight 800 Crash: On July 17, 1996, a Boeing 747-100 operating as TWA Flight 800 exploded in midair and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York minutes after takeoff. All 230 people on board died in the crash, which is the third-deadliest commercial aviation accident in U.S. history. Wisner Baum successfully resolved cases for more than a dozen families with wrongful death claims.
American Airlines Flight 965 Crash: On December 20, 1995, a Boeing 757-223 operating as American Airlines Flight 965 crashed into a mountain in Buga, Colombia, killing 151 of the 155 passengers on board and all eight flight crew members. The AA Flight 965 crash is one of the deadliest crashes of an American air carrier of the last 35 years. Wisner Baum represented numerous clients and successfully resolved cases on their behalf.
Whether you’re dealing with a charter plane crash, plane crashing into a house, mid-air collision, or airplane turbulence injury, time is critical. Aviation lawsuits involve strict deadlines, complex federal and international laws, and multiple potential defendants.
Our legal team will:
We’ve recovered over half a billion dollars for victims of aviation accidents — including planes crashing into buildings, runway crashes, mid-air collisions, and turbulence injuries.
If you or a family member were affected by an aviation disaster, contact our plane crash attorneys for a free consultation. We have the experience, resources, and dedication to uncover the truth and hold every negligent party accountable.
"Wisner Baum gave exceptional attention to all aspects of the case, detailed inquiry, and tenacious overview of all the information submitted. The paralegals are efficient and diligent. I was completely surprised to find an empathic personal message to take care of my own health during the challenging time of being a full-time caretaker.*"
In May of 2019, the jury in the case of Pilliod et al. v, Monsanto Company ordered the agrochemical giant to pay $2.055 billion in damages to the plaintiffs, Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a Bay Area couple in their 70s. R. Brent Wisner served as co-lead trial attorney for the Pilliods, delivering the opening and closing statements and cross-examining several of Monsanto’s experts. Wisner Baum managing shareholder, Michael Baum and attorney Pedram Esfandiary also served on the trial team in the Pilliod case.
The judge later reduced their award to $87M. Monsanto appealed the Pilliod’s verdict which the California Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District denied on August 9, 2021. Monsanto then requested the California Supreme Court review the appeal’s court decision, which the court denied on Nov. 17, 2021. Monsanto (Bayer) then submitted a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court which SCOTUS denied on June 27, 2022, allowing the final judgment of $87M to remain intact.
$289.2 million jury verdict in Monsanto Roundup trial
Wisner Baum co-represented Dewayne “Lee” Johnson in the first Roundup cancer lawsuit to proceed to trial. On Aug. 10, 2018, a San Francisco jury ordered Monsanto to pay $39.25 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages to Mr. Johnson, a former groundskeeper who alleged exposure to Monsanto’s herbicides caused him to develop terminal non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Months after the jury verdict, the judge overseeing the trial reduced the punitive damages to $39.25 million. Mr. Johnson decided to accept the remittitur, bringing the adjusted amount awarded to Mr. Johnson $78.5 million.
Monsanto (Bayer) appealed the verdict and Johnson cross appealed. On July 20, 2020, the First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the verdict against Monsanto but reduced Mr. Johnson’s award to $20.5 million. The company chose not to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, ending the litigation.
In 2016, Wisner Baum attorney Timothy A. Loranger and six other attorneys in the Plaintiffs’ Management Committee were able to secure a $265 million settlement for victims of the 2015 Amtrak 188 derailment in Philadelphia, one of the largest in the U.S. for 2016.
