Pilot Buzzy Peltola Crash

[LeonardC]

A hunting story. I just read an interesting article on MUST READ ALASKA: "NTSB Squarely blames pilot error in crash that killed pilot Buzzy Peltola:"

I am not a pilot and the article clearly explains what went wrong. Sad deal.

 

[SmokeRoss]

And yet his widow is suing someone else for the crash. Hoping fora sympathetic jury in the bush.

 

[akgriz]

And yet his widow is suing someone else for the crash. Hoping fora sympathetic jury in the bush.

Yep. Sorry for the loss, but amazing how some try to make $ off situations such as this. I had to testify in a trial where a husband/wife were killed in a crash on takeoff, they tried to turn back to the airport and did a stall-spin. The survivors sued the manufacturer and the flying club where I instructed. I pulled out the pilots operating handbook, and read "in case of engine failure on takeoff, do not attempt to return to the runway. Continue straight ahead." Thankfully the jury had some common sense. Hopefully the same will be true in this case, although with Bethel being the location I'm not holding my breath.

 

[mark knapp]

There is a fair number of people that say, he did not know the people on the hunt, that he did it often, and he was charging for the hunts.

I can't say myself.

Add to that, the pilot error. Not good.

If she's not careful, more stuff could come out.

 

[kasilofchrisn]

Oops double post.

 

[kasilofchrisn]

A hunting story. I just read an interesting article on MUST READ ALASKA:

I am not a pilot and the article clearly explains what went wrong.

Breaking: NTSB squarely blames pilot error in crash that killed pilot Buzzy Peltola; Mary Peltola still suing guide company and owner

The National Transportation Safety Board has concluded its investigation into the 2023 plane crash that killed Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr., husband of former US Rep. Mary Peltola, placing the blame squarely on pilot error. According to the NTSB’s final report, Peltola’s decision to fly his...

mustreadalaska.com

And yet his widow is suing someone else for the crash.

Breaking: Mary Peltola sues hunting guide and bush aviation company

Former US Rep. Mary Peltola filed a civil lawsuit Friday in Bethel Superior Court, possibly seeking damages related to the plane crash that killed her husband, Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr. on Sept. 12, 2023. The lawsuit names defendants Bruce Werba, a registered master guide, and Alaska Pike...

mustreadalaska.com

 

[LeonardC]

Thank you for connecting the articles to the posts.

 

[cdubbin]

“Because of this, NTSB determinations of probable cause are specifically excluded from the courts by federal law, pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 835.2; 49 U.S.C. § 1154(b). This rule is meant to keep the NTSB’s opinions as to the cause of an accident out of the courts. This makes sense, because otherwise the NTSB is taking on the role of the judge and jury – without the benefit of a full record. Given the differences in resources available, it should come as no surprise that there are times when a NTSB determination of probable cause, finding a pilot at fault for an accident, has not revealed the whole story. Subsequent litigation has illuminated additional facts and analysis, sometimes resulting in a different finding of fault. Additionally, NTSB investigations are never officially closed, and the probable cause finding can be revisited in light of new evidence.“

The Impact of NTSB Reports in Civil Litigation

pilot-protection-services.aopa.org

 

[cdubbin]

And yet his widow is suing someone else for the crash. Hoping fora sympathetic jury in the bush.

The lawsuit claims that:
1. the pilot was making payments on the plane in order to buy it from the guide, and the money was never paid back to the estate.
2. the guide company didn’t have a workers comp policy on the pilot as required by state law, leaving them open to a wrongful death lawsuit by the family of the deceased.

 

[338reloader]

When the person making the decisions, pilot in the command, and then crashes and dies because of those decisions, it is not a wrongful death. I'm guessing this is settled out of court and Mary walks away with money she has no legal right to!

 

[Brian M]

When the person making the decisions, pilot in the command, and then crashes and dies because of those decisions, it is not a wrongful death. I'm guessing this is settled out of court and Mary walks away with money she has no legal right to!

When the company employing said pilot doesn't carry the legally required insurance, they're likely on the hook for that. That's not an issue of what caused the crash - it's a legal responsibility of the company.

 

[338reloader]

But was he an employee, Brian? He was working off payments for buying the plane. Could he have been, "contract help". That is often how guides employ help. Would contract help still be required to have workmans comp?

 

[Brian M]

But was he an employee, Brian? He was working off payments for buying the plane. Could he have been, "contract help". That is often how guides employ help. Would contract help still be required to have workmans comp?

Honestly not sure. That's likely going to be a key issue in the lawsuit and why we have a legal system to sort through such matters. As someone who lost a spouse to accidental causes, I don't blame surviving family members for at least investigating what happened and, when there is cause, for seeking recompense. I doubt any of us know all of the facts in this matter and whether the case truly has merit.

 

[cdubbin]

This is from the guide service’s website…I would say that forthrightness is not exactly their strongest characteristic:

 

[mark knapp]

When I came to Alaska to become a big game guide, I knew it was outside the realm of normal ideas of safe activities. I told my parents and all family members that I was doing it of my own choice and I knew what I was doing. If anything was to ever happen to me, no one was to be sued. It was no ones fault but my own.

Now, there is no way to have known the circumstance before something happened and I certainly have no way of knowing what my parents would have done. They are gone now but like my parents, my wife is not a litigious person and, I am sure no one would be sued if something happened to me short of illegal activity.