RSSTwo People Killed and another Person Injured in Aviation Accident near Panacea
A recent aviation accident near Panacea has claimed the lives of two people and seriously injured a third. Investigators report that the accident involved a helicopter, which crashed in a heavily wooded and swampy area near the airport in Panacea. In a statement, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office said that the crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. and claimed the life of the pilot, a 53-year-old Tallahassee man, and one of his passengers, a 49-year-old man also from Tallahassee. A 45-year-old Tallahassee woman, who was a passenger on the helicopter, was injured in the crash and transported by medical helicopter to a Tallahassee hospital with undisclosed injuries.
The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office statement said, "The three individuals were on their way back to Tallahassee after eating at a local restaurant. The helicopter clipped a tree limb and crashed and landed on its top. The tree limb took down a power line, which hampered emergency worker efforts until the line could be turned off. The helicopter landed in a wooded and marshy area near the airport.”
Accident investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigators are still conducting their investigation into the accident and have not yet announced the results of their investigation.
Investigations into aviation accidents often take many weeks, as investigators pore through wreckage and listen to recordings in an effort to reconstruct the events leading up to the accident. In many cases, they find that pilot error led to the accident. In others, they conclude that mechanical failure due to defective parts or negligent maintenance caused the accident.
When investigators determine that negligence or defective parts caused the accident, survivors and their families often have no choice but to pursue legal action against those responsible. Medical bills in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, catastrophic injuries and impaired quality of life and other injuries compel accident victims and their families to consult with an aviation accident attorney to answer their questions, protect their rights and guide them through the legal process.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Florida aviation accident and you would like to speak with an Orlando personal injury lawyer to learn more about your rights and legal options, call James O. Cunningham today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587). Mr. Cunningham has helped injured people receive compensation through court awards and negotiated settlements since 1977 and is one of the most experienced attorneys in central Florida. Call him today and get his experience, resources and legal acumen on your side!
James O. Cunningham
Since 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.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.