ADDISON, Texas — Surviving relatives of two victims who were killed in a plane crash at the Addison Municipal Airport have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the aircraft operators of negligence.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Dallas County this week, claims the plane was crashed by the negligent operation of the aircraft by defendants EE Operations, EE Realty and S&H Aircraft.
The companies have not yet filed a response to the suit.
On June 30, 2019, eight passengers and two crew members died in the crash at the Addison airport. The entire plane was destroyed by fire.
Ornella Ellard and Matthew Palmer were among those who died. Ellard was a passenger and Palmer was a co-pilot onboard the 2017 Beech King Air 350.
Now, Ellard's father and Palmer's wife and parents are seeking damages from the companies that operated and employed the pilots, according to legal documents.
The plane was leaving the Addison airport when the deadly crash occurred.
The flight reached the runway around 9 a.m. that day and was cleared to head for St. Petersburg, Fla., but then crashed into a hanger shortly after.
A recording recovered from the cockpit of a plane revealed there was confusion less than a minute after takeoff.
There was "crew comment consistent with confusion" 12 seconds before the end of the recording and a comment about a problem with the left engine eight seconds before the recording ended, National Transportation Safety Board officials said during a news conference during the summer.
The surviving family members are seeking now damages and a jury trial, according to the lawsuit.
Below is a list of everyone who was killed in the June crash:
- Howard Hale Cassady
- Matthew Palmer
- Stephen Lee Thelen
- Gina Thelen
- Alice Maritato
- Dylan Maritato
- Ornella Ellard
- Brian Ellard
- Mary Titus
- John Titus
