Thu, Mar 14, 2013
Colgan Air, Pinnacle, Continental Absolved From Paying Cleanup Costs After Flight 3407 Accident
A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that absolves Colgan Air, Pinnacle Airlines, and Continental Airlines from reimbursing Erie County in New York State for expenses incurred in relation the aftermath of the accident involving Continental Connection Flight 3407.
The county had sued the airlines to recoup some $800,000 in expenses for emergency response and cleanup after the accident. In its complaint, the county said it "sustained unnecessary and unprecedented property and financial damage ... as a direct and proximate result of defendants' wanton, reckless, negligent and willful conduct."
But the Associated Press reports that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit said "Absent an exception, the free public services doctrine plainly bars the county's claims to recover public expenditures." The ruling upholds a decision reached in March 2012 by U.S. District Judge William Skretny to dismiss the county's suit.
According to court documents, the expenses included "overtime pay for police and emergency personnel, the cleanup and removal of human remains, the cleanup and removal of chemical substances originating from the aircraft, the cleanup and removal of the aircraft itself." The county also tried to recover equipment costs, as well as costs for counseling for relatives of the victims.
Colgan stopped flying in September of last year as part of Pinnacle's reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy laws.
More News
Airport Marking Aids Markings used on runway and taxiway surfaces to identify a specific runway, a runway threshold, a centerline, a hold line, etc. A runway should be marked in ac>[...]
"It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for manned aircraft to see a drone while conducting crop-enhancing and other aerial applications at low altitudes and high speeds. We>[...]
Aero Linx: The Skyhawk Association The Skyhawk Association is a non-profit organization founded by former Skyhawk Pilots which is open to anyone with an affinity for the A-4 Skyhaw>[...]
“The T-54A benefits from an active Beechcraft King Air assembly line in Wichita, Kansas, where all required METS avionics and interior modifications are installed on the line>[...]
Aero Linx: Aerostar Owners Association The Association offers the Aerostar Owner a unique opportunity to tap an invaluable source of information concerning the care and feeding of >[...]