Around 10 AM on September 18, 2012, an executive jet attempted to land at the Macon Downtown Airport and hydroplaned from the runway to a wooded area. Over one and a half years later, reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are finally emerging about the cause of the accident.
The NTSB report raises some big questions about the Macon Downtown Airport design. Recent renovations narrowed the runway from 150 feet to 100 feet, and the length of the runway was 200 feet shorter than reported. Perhaps the most concerning, NTSB found the runway design to be defective. Instead of slightly tented for drainage, the Macon, GA runway was flat, which allows water to collect.
Our aviation experts at Pope & Howard, P.C. have years of experience reviewing NTSB reports following plane crashes. One of our founding partners, Marc Howard, has the unique experience of working for major airlines before representing plane crash victims. While this initial report could be beneficial for potential litigation, our lawyers stress that it also highlights some pilot errors, like landing speed, from the September 2012 crash.
It’s important to remember that plane crash reports often take years to complete. The NTSB report identifying a “probable cause” for the plane accident has not yet been published.
At Pope & Howard, P.C., our team knows that a winning aviation case looks at NTSB reports, physical evidence, and expert testimony. As NTSB continues to release reports on the Macon plane crash, it will be interesting to see how the blame is divided between the pilot and the airport.
Aviation lawyers Geoff Pope and Marc Howard founded Pope & Howard, P.C., an Atlanta area trial firm in 2005. Our expert legal staff helps victims after aviation accidents, construction site injuries, and nursing home abuse. If you were involved in an airplane accident, contact Pope & Howard, P.C. at (866) 910-0642 or (404) 885-9999 for legal assistance.
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