Student Pilot At Santa Monica Flyers Died In Plane Crash At The Santa Monica Airport
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (September 21, 2022) – A student pilot and flight instructor at Santa Monica Flyers died in a plane crash at the Santa Monica Airport.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the accident took place around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. A student pilot and instructor with Santa Monica Flyers were coming in for a landing when there was a crash.
Audio of the final moments before the crash have been released. A voice can be heard clearly shouting “Let go!” before the sound cuts out.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the plane crash in order to help the victims. The fire that started after the crash was quickly put out.
Sadly, the student pilot and flight instructor aboard the single-engine, two-seat Piper Sport plane both died as a result of their injuries.
A full investigation into the Santa Monica Airport plane crash remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Santa Monica Airport Plane Crashes
The vast majority of plane crashes occur in private aviation with smaller planes. It has been estimated that private planes can be nearly as deadly as cars. According to Live Science, “Though general aviation — defined as all domestic civilian flights except scheduled commercial trips — has become safer since the 1970s, it remains much more dangerous than commercial flight.” There are a number of factors that make private aviation particularly dangerous.
- The licensing requirements for private aviation are much less stringent than those for commercial pilots.
- Smaller aircraft tend to lack safety redundancies that larger planes have. This includes two pilots and two engines.
- Private planes don’t typically have to go through as many safety checks as larger commercial planes.
The vast majority of plane crashes occur during take-off or landing phase of the flight. A disproportionate number of plane crashes that occur during this time involve some amount of human error. If a pilot was working when they were involved in a crash, the airline or flight school that they worked for could also be held at fault. When a flight instructor is teaching someone to fly, there are a number of potential mistakes that they could possibly make.
- A pilot may have failed to perform the required pre-flight safety check.
- A pilot may have failed to properly communicate with a student pilot. In general, student pilots that are just starting to learn to fly should never take over the flight during take off or landing.
- A pilot may have approached a runway at too sharp an angle.
The family of any student pilot killed in a plane crash may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Sadly, flight training schools will often fight extremely hard to deny liability after any plane crash. An aviation accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and get to the bottom of what may have caused an accident.
Investigating A Los Angeles County Plane Crash
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the families of the people killed in this plane crash at the Santa Monica Airport. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the NTSB. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent similar tragedies.
Do you need more information about a Santa Monica Airport plane crash? Our team of aviation safety experts are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into a plane crash we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
