BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A New York county has lost its bid to recover money spent on cleanup after a plane that crashed into a home near Buffalo in 2009, killing 50 people.
A federal appeals court last week upheld a ruling clearing flight operator Colgan Air, parent company Pinnacle Airlines and Continental Airlines of responsibility for the costs associated with the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407. The reason: a provision of New York law that says public money spent doing government work is not recoverable.
Flight 3407 crashed into a house in Clarence on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in February 2009. All 49 people on board and a man in the house were killed.
Erie County argued the airlines should pay its $800,000 tab because pilot error caused the crash.
