In an astonishing display of black smoke and engulfing flames, a military jet bounced off the runway at Southern California Naval Base and proceeded to burst into flames on the runway. The Boeing 707, loaded with jet fuel, contained just three crew members who unbelievably escaped the aircraft with only minor injuries.

Around 5:30pm yesterday evening, the aircraft took off from Naval Base Ventura County Point Nagu as scheduled, but suddenly came to a skidding halt at the end of the runway. Facing the Pacific Ocean, the tanker was immediately engulfed in an opaque sheath of black smoke signaling all nearby areas that something was amiss. Air station spokesperson Teri Reid did not comment on how the civilian crew was able to escape the blaze uninjured, but identified the plane as one belonging to Virginia-based Omega Aerial Refueling Services; a corporation contracting with the U.S. military to provide fuel transport.

The fire raged on for nearly three hours following the eruption despite multiple attempts by nearby fire helicopters charged with dumping gallons of water on the fires. Federal investigators have been called to the scene to investigate the cause of the crash, which took place roughly 40 miles north of Los Angeles.

Thirteen nearby emergency units were called to the scene to douse the fire. Nearly 150,000 pounds of fuel were being transported by the aircraft, all of which is presumed lost in the blaze. The mix of smoke and jet fuel was so toxic that nearby residents were told to remain in their homes for the evening to avoid inhalation of the fumes.

While certainly an extreme example, aviation accidents are all-too-common in today’s society with thousands of flights taking off daily. The largest jumbo jets are cross paths with small two-engine air craft while air traffic controllers are found to be sleeping on the job. As far as aircraft liability is concerned, the sky’s the limit and accidents are happening more and more often.

Personal injury law is geared towards more than just car accidents as surviving family members are often left to pick up the pieces after their loved ones’ tragic demise at the hands of an experienced or thrill-seeking pilot. Many times, people decide to pursue a pilot’s license and purchase small planes, taking up flying as a hobby. Pilot inexperience has lead to countless accidents across the nation, particularly in California. Hobby pilots tend to take greater risks with the weather reports and often take off in “iffy” weather where an experienced career pilot would not advise such thrill-seeking behavior.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an aircraft injury, we would love to talk with you and hear the details of your story. Wrongful death actions are available for loved ones left behind after tragedy strikes. Feel free to contact us at any time via email, phone call or in person. We would love to hear from you.

Today’s headlines are uncomfortably replete with stories of air traffic controllers asleep at the command, pilots flying under the influence and flight attendants losing their cool. But how can all this seeming aeronautical negligence affect you as the commercial traveler? Very easily. Negligent airline and transportation employees can easily cause devastating accidents as airlines are constantly being forced to re-route or abort the flight as a result of air traffic controllers misdirecting planes or not responding at all. Injury lawsuits abound on the private side of things as many inexperienced private pilots have plummeted to their death carrying one or more passengers. While many think that personal injury is limited just to car accidents, injuries from airplanes are becoming all too common.

The most recent debate within the national airline industry is whether air traffic controllers should be allowed to take scheduled naps during long overnight shifts while another controller is on duty. Many feel that allowing controllers to nap is a safe and effective way to ensure alertness while ultimately results in increased passenger safety, reduced cost and better-run airports. Just within the past month, three air traffic controllers have been suspended indefinitely for napping on the job. The federal government is “outraged” by the incidents but the Union has other ideas. Pointing to solid evidence set forth by NASA, a 26-minute nap can increase alertness by 54%. Sleep experts have opined that air traffic controllers should be monitored under fatigue-management plans, especially those controllers working overnight shifts where fatigue is inevitable.

Private plane aviation accidents are usually attributed to more than just fatigue mismanagement. A variety of factors can cause private plane fatalities. Unfortunately, many of those can be directly attributed to inexperienced pilots, unjustified risk taking and flying in inclement weather. Statistics show that the vast majority of aviation accidents involving private pilots take place during takeoff and landing as the pilot is not adept in either. Pilots often choose to fly in “iffy” weather and wind up injured or killed when the inexperience coupled with severe storms overwhelm the navigator. Sadly, one plane crash tends to affect multiple families as groups often choose to fly together in private planes for recreation.

Before stepping foot in either a private or commercial aircraft, it is best to know your rights and how negligence at the hands of the pilot or transportation employees can impact you. First, if you or a close relative are killed in an airline crash, surviving family members may be entitled to recovery under California’s wrongful death statute. This allows grieving widows and children the opportunity to collect from the liable party responsible for the injury. Any party who has contributed to the resulting injury may be held liable in negligence for any act or omission resulting in harm. This can include the pilot, airline corporation, owner of the airplane or even other passengers. It will always depend on the facts.

If you or someone you care about have been injured in an aviation accident, do not hesitate to contact our offices today. We would love to put our personal injury experience to work for you.