Another frivolous lawsuit

Avweb is reporting another wrongful death lawsuit
after a Piper Malibu lost a wing in Florida when attempting
to fly between thunderstorm cells reaching to FL450.

The pilot was cautioned by his CFI 2 weeks prior to the
accident about his deficient decision making concerning weather
and stated that he "lacked a healthy respect" for the power
of thunderstorms.

Unfortunately, Piper, the manufacturer of the autopilot, the
turbine conversion manufacturer, and the people who worked
on the plane prior to flight are all now suffering for this "lack of
a healthy respect".

Interestingly, FS didn't provide a SIGMET advisory and the
bodies had some level of CO in their muscles.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?...FA111& akey=1

--
Dr. Tony Cox
Citrus Controls Inc.
e-mail:
http://CitrusControls.com/

http://www1.naplesnews.com/npdn/news..._2959291,00.ht
ml

Tony Cox ) wrote:

snip
Interestingly, FS didn't provide a SIGMET advisory and the
bodies had some level of CO in their muscles.

With onboard radar and a cruising altitude of FL260, one would think it
would be relatively easy to avoid penetrating a thunderstorm.


--
Peter














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"John Bell" wrote in message
om...

http://www1.naplesnews.com/npdn/news..._2959291,00.ht
ml

They're suing for $75,000? That won't even cover the
lawyers lunch expenses!

On 6/17/04 11:34 AM, in article
, "Peter R."
wrote:


With onboard radar and a cruising altitude of FL260, one would think it
would be relatively easy to avoid penetrating a thunderstorm.

It's just as easy with no radar and a service ceiling in the low teens: just
say, "No!"

He didn't believe that T-Storms, and even the dynamics in their general
vicinity, are killers. He learned. Too bad that knowledge had such a short
life.



Jack

Jack ) wrote:


It's just as easy with no radar and a service ceiling in the low teens: just
say, "No!"

That is certainly one safe option during tstorm season but there are others
that include flying, too.

According to the NTSB report, the pilot of this ill-fated flight received a
recommended westerly deviation route from Flight Watch one hundred miles
before the accident scene.

I have yet to fly in Florida, but as the thunderstorm capital of the US,
Florida has a large population of GA pilots who somehow receive utility
from their aircraft during the very active t-storm season.

--
Peter














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"Peter R." wrote in message
...

I have yet to fly in Florida, but as the thunderstorm capital of the US,
Florida has a large population of GA pilots who somehow receive utility
from their aircraft during the very active t-storm season.

Seldom are Florida cells embedded. Most of the time they are individual
cells or squall lines that are relatively easy to pick out. You can often
zig-zag around them at altitudes that are well below oxygen altitudes even.
That general tendency may induce some complacency that causes pilots to
underestimate the hazards on those occasions when the t-storms are more
widespread or are embedded.

The OP mentioned the pilot and passengers had elevated carbon monoxide in their
blood. If it was of a significant concentration, there may be some "actionable"
issues related to the aircraft's condition. Too much HbCO would likely accect
judgement, although the OP also suggested the pilot had documented poor
judgement anyhow.

With respect to thunderstorms in FL, I have a distinct memory of overnighting
in Miami one Feb because there was a solid and continuing line of the things
crossing the middle of the state, and it was more than I wished to subject me
or my Mooney to.

I don't know how often that condition exists, but the radar pictures I was
seeing while flight planning made me change my plans.

Today I decided to postpone a flight I was to take due to boomers in PA, OH,
NY, and CT. Sometimes these things clear up, sometimes they don't, and the
weather guessers don't always get it right. So we waited to see what would
happen.

Nothing conducive to flying did. Tomorrow will be a better day. This way, I
get to see tomorrow.

Jose




--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

"Tony Cox" wrote in message
nk.net...
Avweb is reporting another wrongful death lawsuit
after a Piper Malibu lost a wing in Florida when attempting
to fly between thunderstorm cells reaching to FL450.

If a lawsuit like this is thrown out of court as being without merit (or
whatever the legal term is) can the defendants then turn around and sue for
legal costs and damages to their reputation?