Sightseeing airplane crash in Hawaii over crater

$2,750,000

Attorney Goodman represented a family in western Massachusetts who lost their son, daughter-in-law and her parents after their sight-seeing prop plane crashed into a crater on the island of Maui. After Attorney Goodman filed suit against the butterfly company that owned the plane and sightseeing company, he sent out a request for production of documents. After pouring through thousands of pages, he found the smoking gun. The paper was not licensed to fly instruments only via far – by human sight only. He had prior problems with his license and the plane itself was old and called the little pig, because it could not climb fast. Flying over the crater, the pilot encountered thick clouds, got in too close, and was sucked in and crashed.

The plane burst into flames and all occupants and the pilot perished. The suit was in federal court and was referred after completion of discovery to a magistrate for mediation. The case was settled with an admission of liability and acceptance of responsibility by the defendants.