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Man Killed, Daughter Critically Injured When Airplane Lands on Florida Beach

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 1, 2014

Orlando aviation accident lawyers are closely following developments in a case involving a crash landing that killed and man and critically injured his daughter, (sadly, she has since passed away), as they walked on the beach. Wendy Rose, a spokeswoman for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, reported that the pilot of the aircraft and his passenger were not injured when their plane lost power and was forced to land near Venice Beach. Investigators say that the man and his daughter were walking on the beach just a few feet from the surf when the aircraft struck them as it attempted to land.

Officer Rose told reporters, "A man and one of his children who were walking on the beach were apparently injured by the plane."

She said that the Venice airport received a distress call from the pilot of the Piper aircraft around 2:45 p.m., who said that his plane had lost power and would not be able to make it back to the airport.

"They were contacted by a pilot whose small plane was in distress. He knew he couldn’t make it back to the airport and was going to try to land on the beach. And he did land at the edge of the water on the beach," Rose added.

Rose told reporters that the girl’s injuries were grave and that she was airlifted to a nearby children’s hospital, where she is currently listed in critical condition. Footage of the crash scene showed the Piper Cherokee aircraft nose-down in the sand just a few feet from the surf. A police boat was anchored nearby to monitor the accident scene while investigators reconstructed the events leading to the accident.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation and Safety Board were notified about the accident and had dispatched teams of investigators to the crash site. Both teams plan to issue a statement after their investigations are complete.

These investigations are very important because experts can usually determine what caused the aircraft to lose power. They can determine whether or not mechanical failure, pilot error, a defective part or a combination of these and other factors contributed to this tragic accident. If they find that negligence was a contributing factor in the accident, accident victims may be able to seek damages with the assistance of an experienced aviation accident lawyer, such as James O. Cunningham.

Since he began practicing law in 1977, Mr. Cunningham has become one of the most respected, accomplished and experienced personal injury attorneys in the Orlando area. If you or a loved one has been injured in an aviation accident and you’d like to schedule a free consultation with Mr. Cunningham to discuss your case, call him today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).

James O. Cunningham

James O. CunninghamSince 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.

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