Partner-Attorney Andrew Groher of RisCassi & Davis, P.C. in Connecticut is representing the family of a copilot who died in a vintage B-17 bomber crash at Bradley International Airport in 2019. In his clients’ names, he recently filed a lawsuit against the Collings Foundation, which owned the World War II-era plane that went down due to engine failures. The lawsuit managed by Attorney Groher joins several others filed against the Collings Foundation by family members of other victims who died or were injured in the same aviation disaster.
Details of the B-17 Crash
In October 2019, the Collings Foundation’s B-17 took off from Bradley International as part of a program that allowed people to pilot and fly on vintage aircraft. Moments after takeoff, two of its engines reportedly failed, causing it to crash and burst into flames. Michael Foster, whose family Attorney Groher is representing, was the copilot and one of seven who died in the airplane accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would later rule that poor maintenance contributed to the crash. In the lawsuit filed by Attorney Groher, he argues that the Collings Foundation did not complete a preflight maintenance checklist that would have reasonably noticed that at least two of the engines were essentially nonoperational. If the check had been done, or if the engines were maintained frequently, then the crash could have been prevented entirely, the lawsuit argues. As such, the Collings Foundation has been accused of gross negligence and recklessness that make the organization liable for the crash and fatalities.
Two articles were recently published about the crash and the lawsuits, each with Attorney Andrew Groher in a featured interview. The first is from News 8 WTNH, which includes an embedded video interview of Attorney Groher. The second is from the Hartford Courant, which has more details about accusations against the Collings Foundation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
For more information about Attorney Groher or aviation accidents handled by RisCassi & Davis, P.C., you can contact our firm online or dial (860) 245-2412 at any time. Initial consultations are free for inquiring clients.