Lawyers Assist Persons Injured In Airplane Runway Accidents

Airplane runway accidents may be far common than airline travelers realize. The most dangerous parts of an airplane flight are the takeoff and landing portions of a flight. The margin for error when taking off and landing a plane is slim. Seemingly negligible mistakes can lead to catastrophic accidents.

If you or someone you love has suffered severe injuries in an airplane runway accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an airplane crash, you may be entitled to compensation from a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.

According to a Boeing commercial airplane study, approximately half of all airplane accidents in the United States occur during a pilot's final approach to the runway, or during the landing maneuver. Some fourteen-percent of aviation accidents occur during a plane’s initial takeoff or altitude climb. One of the reasons that takeoffs and landings are more dangerous than other portions of a flight is because the airplane is close to the ground.

When an airplane is close to the ground, pilots have less time to react to dangerous problems that may arise. Any movement up or down can cause an airplane to collide with the ground and crash. When a pilot is 36,000 feet above ground, one may have additional time to correct course should any problem arise.

While popular media may sensationalize mid-air collisions, explosions, and other catastrophic midair incidents, most injurious aviation accidents happen occur during a plane’s takeoff or landing on the runway. Accidents are more common on the runway because planes travel at a high rate of speed while taxiing upon a runway, with other planes and ground objects such as buildings and trees in close proximity. Any sudden pilot maneuvers during these critical moments can affect the integrity of the plane’s movements. Sometimes applying the brakes to avoid a crash, attempting to turn a plane away from an impending collision, or using a plane’s instruments to lift a plane above an impediment proves too little too late, and a crash incident can occur that causes significant injuries to dozens and, in some cases, hundreds of persons.

Pilot error is one of the central causes of runway accidents. Studies of incidents have shown that pilots make tactical errors such as poorly planning and executing a maneuver. Other accidents may be caused by poor decision making caused by fatigue, inexperience, or operational errors relating to instruction or training.

Studies have shown that another common cause of runway accidents is air traffic controller error. When an aircraft controller fails to communicate properly with a pilot or fails to warn a pilot to avoid a collision or dangerous situation, catastrophic accidents can occur. Studies have shown that other runway accidents have been caused by mechanical failure of an engine or another plane component. On-the-ground mechanics and plan repair workers may have negligently repaired or installed a part, or parts may corrode or dislodge over time, leading to chain-reaction incidents. Studies have shown that maintenance issues have contributed to a large percentage of fatal airplane accidents in the United States.

Finally, bad weather has contributed to numerous devastating airplane accidents. While pilots cannot control the weather, they have a duty not to take off when the weather is extremely dangerous. They also have a responsibility to act reasonably even in inclement weather.

Many runway accidents have caused devastating injuries to passengers and persons on the ground. Some injurious incidents have occurred after planes have driven off the runway surface, while others have occurred when on-the-ground planes have collided with objects, including other planes.

At busy airports, pilots can become confused about which runway to use, or can be mistaken about the timing of a takeoff and landing. Information supplied by personnel in a control tower can affect pilots’ decision making. While runway incidents are rare relative to the daily number of flights in the United States, when such accidents do occur, they can prove devastating to individuals and families alike.

Airplane crashes can lead to devastating injuries. The legal professionals at Arnold & Smith, PLLC have helped many clients throughout the greater Charlotte area recover compensation after devastating injurious incidents. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.