December 13 will mark the 38th anniversary of the Air Indiana Flight 216 crash that killed 29 people. The 1977 flight was on a Douglas DC-3 and crashed on takeoff from the Evansville Regional Airport. The aircraft was carrying all but one member of the University of Evansville basketball team. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, pilot error was the cause of the accident.
The investigation report showed that the pilot failed to remove gust locks from the right aileron and rudder prior to the takeoff and that the baggage compartment was overloaded. If there were not multiple problems, the NTSB believes the plane would have been able to stay airborne. The overloaded baggage forced a shift in the plane’s center of gravity and the lock on the aileron and rudder were enough to make fixing this error impossible.
It is an unfortunate situation, but aviation accidents happen quite often; sometimes more than people realize. Anytime an accident occurs, the results can be disastrous and can lead to serious injuries or death. Aviation accidents happen for a number of reasons, including the following:
- Pilot error
- Maintenance error
- Malfunction
- Overloading
At Power Rogers, our Chicago aviation accident lawyers know how dangerous a plane or helicopter crash can be. It can leave everyone involved severely injured or even take the lives of all passengers. It is important for you to make sure you are well represented whether you were injured in an aviation accident or if you lost a loved one. Our firm is ready to help you hold negligent parties accountable for their actions and move forward in the best manner possible.
Call us today and we’ll discuss your case with you. We will explain your rights and options moving forward and determine if you have a claim or not. Don’t hesitate, we are ready to guide your from start to finish with the compassionate and tenacious counsel you need.