Founder and Managing Partner
Relatives and friends are mourning the deaths of those lost in a devastating plane crash that recently occurred at an airport in Northern California. Four individuals were involved in the collision, including the Kruetzfeldts and the Chandlers—both couples were residents of Sonora, California. The passengers on board were relatives of one another, including the pilot and his wife, and the pilot’s mother and stepfather. The Kruetzfeldts had three children that they left behind as a result of this deadly accident.
According to reports, the plane deviated off of the track as the pilot was attempting to make a landing on “runway 17.” At approximately forty-five minutes after four in the evening, the wing of the “1958 Cessna 310B” grazed the ground several times and the plane ignited. The aircraft made a quick turn left into vegetation and rocks. Medical and emergency help arrived too late, as the structure was already overcome by flames.
The fire spread quickly to other areas, such as grass and plant life, as a result of the plane’s subsequent collision into a motor vehicle; however, no further injuries or deaths were sustained. The vehicle struck by the plane was a fuel truck. Fortunately, the fire was able to be contained and only approximately one hundred yards of the area was left damaged. At roughly thirty minutes after six, the bodies of the deceased victims were taken out of the plane. Investigators employed by the “National Transportation Safety Board” took charge of the examination of the site and circumstances.
Roughly one hundred and ten aircraft fly in and out of Columbia Airport, a facility located in Tuolumne County. The airport is one hundred and thirty miles away from San Francisco. Apparently, “there is no air traffic control” at this facility. Interestingly enough, the pilot involved was experienced and had about twenty years of employment with “Net Jets,” a jet charter business. The plane was coming from the north, but a particular area has not been specified.
The cause of the tragic accident has yet to be discovered. Was it a mechanical failure? Was it negligence on the part of the pilot? Was the airport track unfit for safe landings? Was it another factor unbeknownst to the public? If the cause of the accident cannot be determined, can a lawsuit still be brought?
If you were injured in a plane accident in Northern or Southern California, the law firm of J&Y can determine whether you have a legal cause of action.