Kevin Crossley's Estate being sued for compensation

[Honey Monster]

Kevin, a former instructor at the College of ATC, Bournemouth, was killed along with his passenger in a Yak 52 crash in 2006. The passenger's wife is now suing Kevin's estate for compensation.

This link is to the article in the local newspaper where you can read the full story

Air crash widow in compensation fight (From Bournemouth Echo) (http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/districts/bournemouth/4675018.Air_crash_widow_in_compensation_fight/)

[goatface]

I don't know Kevin's personal circumstances, but more often than not this sort of thing is sorted out with the insurers of both of the bereaved and in this case, Kevin's family wouldn't normally lose out financially.

Nonetheless, it's a bit disasteful for it all to be done in public, a sign of the times I suppose.

[aluminium persuader]

Having known Kev and the circumstances of the accident I find that a bit shocking and very sad. I really hope you're right Goatface.

ap:sad:

[eyeinthesky]

Nobody knows what was said between the two people aboard the aircraft after it had departed. It is not uncommon for someone to be apprehensive about a flight and insist before departure that they want nothing out of the ordinary in terms of manoeuvres. Once they have been up for while they find that they enjoy it and want to push their experience a bit. Then a 'No aerobatics, please' statement heard by others before boarding might become a request for or no objection to a more energetic manoeuvre. I think it highly unlikely that Kevin would have embarked upon any such manoeuvre without the prior agreement of his passenger.

It is unfortunately a sign of the times that this country often has a blame attitude such that 'someone has to pay'. In this case, the two people involved in this accident paid the ultimate price, and those left behind should let them rest in peace and let time heal the loss, without dragging it all through a legal process which will in all likelihood make only the lawyers rich as nobody can prove whether the consent of the passenger was or was not given prior to entering the fatal manoeuvre.

[aluminium persuader]

That article & what I remember of the AAIB report would seem to be at odds.

ap

[anotherthing]

Without wanting to apportion blame whatsoever, because at the end of the day (:yuk:), mistakes and accidents do happen, (something our increasingly litigious society forgets), wasn't there something in the report about a loose restraint (lap)strap resulting in control restriction being the possible reason? (I think I'm remembering the correct report).

If I am not getting incident and report mixed up, it was the passengers strap - so what do you blame?

Failure of the Captain to make sure pax was properly strapped in?
Poor brief on function of restraint harness?
Lack of understanding by pax despite thorough briefing?
Inadvertant failure to strap in correctly due to exitement/age/arthritic hands (4/5 point harnesses can be a bitch)?
Something else?


Whatever, it was a tragic accident resulting from a generous offer of a flight as a gift, which took 2 people too early, one of whom many of us know through the college as a friendly, affable person - it's a shame that this sorry episode has resurfaced.

[aluminium persuader]

My recollection is similar - IIRC the pax was an experienced flyer (gliders, perhaps) and was happy to strap himself in. Unfortunately he missed the crotch-strap which as they flew past (can't remember whether aeros were involved) fell & got caught in the gap between stick & floor. No amount of force would have been able to free the stick.

I would point out though that this is just what I recall. I am quite happy to be corrected if anyone knows better. The whole thing is vey sad.

ap

In fact, just found the AAIB report that HM posted before. Pax was NPPL, and

A friend of the passenger assisted him into the aircraft
and noticed that he did not secure the shoulder straps of
the seven-point harness. He offered him assistance, but
the passenger declined, stating that he would not require
the shoulder straps. It was not established whether the
pilot was aware that his passenger was wearing only
the lap strap element of the harness; it was established
during the investigation that the crotch strap was also
unsecured.

Full report here (http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Yak-52,%20G-LENA%2008-07.pdf)