THOMSON, Ga. – A Hawker Beechcraft 390/Premier I with seven people on board crashed Wednesday in Georgia after taking off from Nashville. Five people on the plane died in the crash. It appears that all five people who died worked for the Vein Guys, a medical office in Nashville, Tennessee. The medical practice also has an office in Augusta, Georgia. It further appears as though the pilots are the only survivors.
Although the McDuffie County Sheriff is investigating, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will also investigate to determine the probable cause of the plane crash.
Typically, in such plane crash cases, the NTSB will secure the crash site, look for physical evidence, interview witnesses and investigate the maintenance history of the plane and the airman files for the pilots. Although the facts determined by the NTSB will play an important role in determining the cause of the crash, it is likely that the insurance companies and their lawyers will also investigate to protect themselves against claims by the victims’ families. It is not unusual for insurance company attorneys to be called in the middle of the night to go investigate a plane crash.
The plane crashed during a flight from John Tune Airport in Nashville, Tenn., to the Thomson-McDuffie airport in Georgia. This is a small airport about 4 miles north of Thomson, Georgia and to the West of Augusta, Georgia. The airport is primarily for general aviation services and is publicly owned.
Because the Thomson-McDuffie Airport is publicly owned, if there are any claims against the airport as a result of this plane crash, it will be necessary for victims and their families to make claims in writing within a short period of time. Georgia law prevents claims against cities unless written notice of a claim is presented to the government within 6 months of an event such as this plane crash. For counties, the deadline would be one year from the date of the crash.
Aviation Accident Cases at Pope & Howard, P.C.
The attorneys at Pope & Howard have the legal expertise to handle even the most complex aviation cases. Before partnering with Geoff Pope, Marc Howard served as a defense lawyer representing airlines, pilots, manufacturers, and airports before changing his practice to help victims of aviation accidents. Contact Pope & Howard P.C. at (404) 994-4486 or via email to schedule your consultation.
Have a Question?
