Gerald Hatch, 66, and his wife Ruth Hatch, 66, were killed; while their son Rob Hatch, 38 and his wife Kelly Hatch 36, are in critical condition.  The plane was registered to Show Low Ford, Inc.  The Hatch family is well known in Arizona in the auto dealership industry.   They own various dealerships throughout Eastern Arizona in Show Low, Winslow and Snowflake. The FAA and the NTSB are on their way to the scene of the crash to investigate.

For more than 30 years, the Franecke Law Group has represented victims and families of aviation disasters.  If you or a loved one have been involved in a tragic aviation crash, it is important that you immediately seek legal advice.  It is critical that an investigation take place as soon as possible in order to preserve key evidence, statements and lay the foundation for a proper independent investigation.  Don’t delay, call now 888.457.7040.

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Unfortunately, many kit planes are not well designed and/or are assembled by less than skilled persons. The Federal Aviation Administration recognizes such aircraft as “experimental” and does not necessarily hold them to as high a degree of safety as other aircraft.

The Franecke Law Group has handled many “experimental ” aircraft crashes which have taken a tragic toll of lives. Each case is different and the facts will vary from cause to cause. However, early investigation of a crash is the best way to preserve your rights.

Piper PA28, 180 Cherokee

A 56-year-old Maryland man was killed on Sunday afternoon when his plane crash in York County.  The man was identified as Douglas Helms of Westminster, Maryland was piloting his small plane when it crashed in a cornfield near York Airport. 

The plane was identified as a Piper PA-28, 180 Cherokee.  Piper aircraft manufactures a wide-range of small aircraft for various training and personal uses, among them this model as one of its more popular planes. 

The cause of this crash has not yet been determined and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NTSB are on the scene gathering evidence and conducting their investigation which will most likely not be released for several months.  This happens to be the second crash in less than a month near the York Airport.

For more than 30 years, the Franecke Law Group has been representing victims and families of aviation disasters throughout the United States.  Founder and Lead Attorney Louis S. Franecke, Esq. is a pilot and engineer that has spent his entire legal career in the field of aviation.  For a free legal consultation, please call 888.457.7040

There are many steps to take immediately after a plane crash such as the one above to preserve and gather evidence, secure witness and key statements and conduct an immediate independent investigation.  Don’t delay, call now.

On Thursday, January 19, 2012, a Military Helicopter, CH-53D crashed in Southern Afghanistan in the Helmand Province killing 6 US Marines.  All six Marines were based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and have been identified:

• Captain Daniel Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, Washington
• Captain Nathan McHone, 29, of Crystal Lake, Illinois
• Master Sgt. Travis Riddick, 40, 0f Centerville, Iowa
• Cpl. Jessie Stites, 23, of North Beach, Maryland
• Cpl. Kevin Reinhard, 25, of Colonia, New Jersey
• Cpl. Joseph Logan, 22, of Willis, Texas

This is a tragic incident and an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the military helicopter crash.  It has been noted that there was no enemy activity involved.  This CH-53D helicopter is the same model helicopter that had a mechanical failure on March 29, 2011 and crashed in Hawaii killing one Marine.   

While an investigation is still pending, it appears that a mechanical failure may be the leading cause of this crash.   The Franecke Law Group has been at the forefront of representing victims and families of military helicopter crashes for more than 30 years. 

Senior Partner, Louis S. Franecke, has argued in front of the United States Supreme Court to hold manufacturers of military products responsible and accountable.  Call today for a free-legal consultation.  Our men and women of our armed forces have the same legal rights.   Read more about the landmark case and law created by the Franecke Law Group to protect the men and women of our armed forces. 

Report indicated that the Cessna was registered to the Wehr’s and was built in 1968.  The cause of the crash is unknown and the Federal Aviation Administration is on-site conducting its investigation.  It will generally takes several months before a final report is released.

For more than 30 years, The Franecke Law Group has represented victims and families of private plane crashes throughout the United States.  It is critical that an independent investigation begin immediately after a tragic plane crash such as this one in Jennings County in order to collect and preserve key evidence, identify witnesses and properly lay the foundation for determining the cause of the crash and holding those responsible accountable.

There are many different reasons that this single-engine Cessna could have crashed including mechanical failures, electrical failures, maintenance failures and a variety of weather, airport or pilot error.  Regardless of what one may assume the cause to be, it is important to make the proper decisions to get the answers.

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The listings above are based on total number of travelling passengers for 2010 based off of a minimum of 30,000 passengers in 2010.

The Franecke Law Group has handled many takeoff and airplane failure cases where injuries have occurred. Despite the training provided pilots, things do not always go well when a takeoff is aborted. The aircraft may be uncontrollable or weather may be a factor.

The Franecke Law Group can help sort out the causes of injuries from aircraft accidents and help the victims resume their lives.  Call today for a free legal consultation.

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The Franecke Law Group has been at the forefront of handling aviation cases and complex product liability cases for the past 30 years. For a free consultation of your particular case, call today toll-free:  888.457.7040

The Franecke Law group represented the family of the first death victim of the Toyota runaway acceleration cases. The case was settled without trial when Toyota wished to avoid litigation against the firm. Mr. Franecke was interviewed extensively by the news medias and quoted in a series of articles on the subject in the Los Angeles Times.

The Franecke Law Group specializes in complex product liability and Aviation cases. They have represented victims all over the country and improved safety for countless others.  For a free consultation of your specific case, please feel free to complete our online contact form or call us toll-free at 888.457.7040

Officials identified the deceased as David Butler, Michael Butler, Kelly Butler and two children.  The Butler’s were from Stockbridge, GA.   The flight took-off from Atlanta Georgia and made a stop in Jackson, Miss. and were on its way to Waco, TX.  The plane was registered to Michael Butler. 

It has been reported that the plane came in contact with some bad weather and made a radio call into a Fort Worth tower for assistance.  

The Federal Aviation Administration and other officials are on the scene of the crash collecting evidence and conduction its investigation into the cause of the crash. 

For more than 30 years, the Franecke Law Group has been leading aviation investigations and representation of victims and their families.  Piper Aircraft, Inc. is considered one of the major aircraft manufacturers in the world and the Franecke Law Group is very familiar with this particular aircraft.  If you or a loved one has been involved in a crash involving the Piper single-engine plane, call today for a free legal consultation 888.457.7040.

Founder and Senior Lead Counselor Louis S. Franecke, Esq. is an aerospace engineer, pilot and lawyer who’s entire career has been dedicated to aviation law.  Call to speak with him directly and schedule an in-person meeting.