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The claims had been filed by the household of Casey Crafton, an airline passenger who died within the crash.

By Niraj Chokshi, New York Occasions Service

February 19, 2025 | 8:16 AM

2 minutes to learn

The household of one of many 67 victims of a airplane crash final month close to Washington filed two authorized claims towards the federal authorities Tuesday, searching for compensation and signifying the start of what’s anticipated to be an extended and complicated authorized combat.

The claims, which seem like the primary towards the U.S. authorities over the collision, had been filed by the household of Casey Crafton, an airline passenger who died within the crash, based on Robert Clifford, the lawyer representing them. Clifford stated he had additionally requested a number of corporations related to the crash to protect proof.

“I don’t know who induced this crash, however I do know the passengers certain didn’t, and the households are entitled to solutions,” Clifford stated in an interview. “This was preventable.”

The crash occurred on the night time of Jan. 29, when a U.S. Military Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airways Flight 5342 close to Ronald Reagan Nationwide Airport, plunging each the airplane and the helicopter into the icy Potomac River and killing everybody on each aircrafts. It was the worst airplane crash in america in almost a quarter-century.

The trigger has not but been recognized, however the Nationwide Transportation Security Board, which is main a federal investigation, stated final week that it was wanting into what gave the impression to be missed directions despatched from an air site visitors controller to the helicopter pilots. Aviation consultants say the investigation will most likely establish a number of security failures, as is usually the case with airplane crashes.

The claims by Crafton’s spouse, Rachel, and their three kids on Tuesday had been filed below the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows people to take the federal authorities to courtroom for property injury, private harm or dying. One was filed towards the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees air site visitors management, and the opposite towards the Military. Every seeks $250 million in compensation, a determine which Clifford described as a ceiling for the declare.

The FAA and the Military didn’t reply to requests for remark. American declined to remark.

The NTSB has stated that it plans to difficulty a preliminary report within the subsequent weeks, however that it’ll not establish a possible explanation for the crash till it publishes a remaining report in a 12 months or two.

This text initially appeared in The New York Occasions.