Friday, May 8, 2009

Helicopter crash kills two highly skilled pilots

As one of the safest mode of air transportation, helicopters are often used for military trainings and missions. It is convenient to use as it provides lift without needing to move forward or using runways.

However, even great machines such as helicopters fail. An AH-1W attack helicopter known as “Super Cobra” crashed at east of San Diego. The crash killed two top pilots of 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit who were at their pre-deployment training exercise.

The crash ignited a brush fire but no other structures were harmed. Rescuers were told to stay away from the crash site due to unexploded ammunitions. Until a go signal from the Marine's explosive-ordnance-disposal unit, no ground crew could enter.

The cause of the crash was still undetermined. Investigators were trying to determine if the pilots made distress calls. As the deceased pilots were highly skilled, investigators were puzzled as to the cause of the crash. In fact, the pilots were trained to support ground troops while the helicopter was built to fight and destroy the enemy.

Helicopter crash, though not frequent, is unavoidable. Oftentimes, after extensive investigation, helicopter pilot is determined to be at fault. In other cases, defective helicopter parts or poor maintenance may also be the cause. In either case, an aviation crash case may be pursued against the negligent pilot or manufacturing company.

In aviation accidents, fault must be established. As it involved complex legal theories and remedies, an aviation accident lawyer is often necessary to initiate a plaintiff’s case or settlement.