Midair Plane Collision Leaves 5 Dead in San Diego

Sunday, August 16, 2015 was the scene of a midair plane crash near the Brown Field Municipal Airport in San Diego that left five dead according to authorities and as reported online at ABC 7 News.

Besides leaving five people dead, the two small planes that were involved in the collision also left in its aftermath a brush fire in a remote field in southern San Diego County, only 1.5 miles from the Mexican border.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesperson, Ian Gregor, the midair collision occurred at about 11:00 a.m., 2 miles northeast of the Brown Field Municipal Airport.

The Cessna, carrying only the pilot on a cross-country trip and the Sabreliner, contracted by BAE Systems, a military contractor, was transporting four people when the midair crash occurred. BAE Systems confirmed that these employees were on the aircraft. Andrew Swick, National Transportation Safety Board investigator reported that the Cessna pilot was on a cross-country flight.

The brushfire was caused due to the planes catching fire when they hit the remote field and broke apart, according to a division chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Nick Schuler. The LA Times reported that the brush fires affected 2 acres of the remote field.

The Chula Vista Fire Department, Cal Fire personnel, and the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department all responded to the scene of the plane crash. One Chula Vista firefighter was transported to a nearby hospital with heat-related problems as the temperatures in the fire reached well above 100 degrees.

According to sources, Brown Field is used by private, charter, government, and corporate aircrafts as a reliever landing venue that is designed to reduce the influx of these kinds of flights that use Lindbergh Field (the area’s international airport).

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are currently conducting an investigation into the crash.

Rizio Lipinsky Heiting wishes to offer their condolences to the families and friends of those lost to this horrific event.

Five people are dead because of some kind of error, or maybe neglect. Once the investigation uncovers more details of the crash, the families of those who lost their lives will have some closure, but what happens next? Who pays for the loss of life and the possible loss of income for the loved ones and family members?

It’s possible that a lawsuit or lawsuits could come out of this fatal plane crash. Who will pay? Who was at fault? Who takes responsibility? These are all questions often asked when such tragedies occur. Only a qualified attorney can answer them after the investigation and closure of the accident. The answers to these questions can be found when people in this situation address them in a free, initial, no-obligation legal consultation.