In a devastating incident that occurred in January near Washington, D.C., Casey Crafton was among 60 passengers who tragically lost their lives when an American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter. This heartbreaking event has prompted his wife, Rachel Crafton, to become the first family member to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the airline and other parties involved.
Rachel Crafton expressed the profound impact of this loss in prepared remarks, stating, "Casey was a devoted father and husband, and we built a beautiful life together. Our lives were shattered in a moment, and the grief has been unimaginable." The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., names both American Airlines and PSA Airlines, the regional carrier operating the flight, along with the federal government as defendants. This case marks the first of what is anticipated to be numerous similar lawsuits stemming from this tragic incident.
On January 29, the unfortunate collision occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in a total of 67 fatalities, including crew members from both the helicopter and the regional jet. This incident has been recognized as the deadliest air traffic disaster in the United States in decades. The American Eagle flight had received clearance to land when the Army helicopter, conducting a nighttime training mission, struck the plane at an altitude of 278 feet, leading both aircraft to plunge into the Potomac River.
In August, federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a three-day hearing regarding the collision. Preliminary findings have indicated issues with the altimeters in the Army helicopter, which reportedly provided incorrect altitude readouts to the Black Hawk pilots. Furthermore, there were alarming concerns about numerous near misses at the airport that occurred prior to the collision.
Lawyers representing the Crafton family argue that American Airlines should be held accountable for the crash. "The crash of American Eagle 5342 was predictable, it was preventable, and caused the needless loss of 67 lives on that fateful evening," stated Robert Clifford, a lawyer for the family, during a press conference in Washington. Clifford contends that the airline failed to adequately train its crew to navigate the congested airspace around DCA, and that their focus on maximizing flight numbers constitutes corporate negligence.
In response to these allegations, American Airlines has firmly defended its practices. "American has a strong track record of putting the safety of our customers and team members above everything else," the airline stated in a recent announcement. They expressed their commitment to supporting the ongoing NTSB investigation and indicated they would defend both American and PSA Airlines against any claims suggesting that the airline contributed to the accident.
At the press conference, several family members of other victims also showed their solidarity with the Crafton family. Doug Lane, who lost his wife, Christine Conrad Lane, and son, Spencer Seojin Lane, in the collision, shared the emotional toll of revisiting such a painful event. "Many of us have been asked whether we dread the idea of rehashing the worst days of our lives in court. We are here to see this process through, however long it takes, to ensure that our family members have a lasting legacy that makes the world safer for everyone who flies," Lane stated.
The Crafton family's lawsuit, alongside others likely to follow, aims not only for justice but also for reforms that could prevent such tragedies in the future.
