Any time a plane crashes, it is highly likely that occupants of that craft will suffer severe, catastrophic, or even fatal injuries. This can leave victims and loved ones feeling angry and seeking justice—and these feelings can only be magnified if the crash was intentional. This appears to be the case in a plane crash that killed one person earlier this week in Connecticut.
CNN reports that on Tuesday afternoon a twin-engine airplane crashed into a busy East Hartford, Connecticut street, ending in the death of a student pilot. Investigators now report that the student pilot had no desire to learn to fly but was forced to do so by his family. It is now believed that this student took the plane down intentionally in a suicide attempt.
According to CNN, “The flight instructor, who survived the crash, told first responders and investigators he got into an altercation with the student pilot, which resulted in a struggle in the cockpit, a US official with direct knowledge of the investigation said.” While there were no voice or video recorders on the plane, interviews with multiple witnesses and interested parties have led investigators to believe the flight instructor’s account. Investigators have also been given cellphone videos taken by multiple bystanders who were in the area at the time.
NBC News reports that the student pilot has been identified as Feras M. Freitekh. He was pronounced dead at the scene after the Piper PA-34 Seneca went down and struck a utility pole, causing the aircraft to ignite and knocking out power to the local neighborhood. The flight instructor, American Flight Academy owner Arian Prevalla, was able to crawl from the burning aircraft. He was taken to a local hospital with serious burns and has been able to cooperate with authorities. It is not believed that terrorism has any role in this incident.
At this time, the FBI has taken the lead in the plane crash investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Connecticut State Police are also participating. At a news conference, Lt. Josh Litwin of the East Hartford Police said, “Information is indicating it was an intentional crash. But the circumstances beyond it being intentional, or why it was intentional, or how it was intentional, are all being investigated at this time.”
As this plane crash appears to have been intentional, the investigation will need to be especially detailed and may take much longer than the average plane crash investigation, which takes about a year. In cases where the pilot error, negligence, or malicious intent is shown to be the cause of an aviation accident, it may be possible for victims and their loved ones to recover compensation for their suffering and damages. Plane crash lawsuits require specialized knowledge, and our plane crash and aviation attorneys have the experience and resources our clients can depend on to uncover the truth and achieve justice. To learn more, please contact us for a free legal consultation.