Victim's family files $250M in legal claims against FAA, Army over DC
aircraft crash
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 [February 20, 2025]
By DAVE COLLINS
The wife of a Connecticut man who died in last month's collision between
a passenger jet and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C.’s Ronald
Reagan National Airport has filed what are believed to be the first
legal claims over the crash that killed 67 people.
The claims by Rachel Crafton were filed Tuesday against the Federal
Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army, with each seeking $250
million for alleged wrongdoing that led to the collision and death of
Casey Crafton, 40, of Salem, Connecticut, according to her Chicago-based
lawyer, Robert Clifford.
The filings were made under the Federal Tort Claims Act and are a
required precursor to a lawsuit. If the FAA and Army either reject or do
not act on the claims within six months, a civil wrongful death lawsuit
can be filed in federal court.
“The families are filing this to achieve their goal of taking the first
step towards what the whole world knows will be eventual litigation
against the FAA for its air traffic control and the U.S. Army relative
to the operations of the helicopter," Clifford said in an interview
Wednesday.
Clifford, who said he represents other crash victims' families, said the
claims were based on public comments federal officials have made about
the crash, including alleged understaffing at the air traffic control
tower, the helicopter pilot flying above the 200-foot (61-meter) limit
near the airport and communication lapses between air traffic control
and the aircraft.
Clifford also sent letters to American Airlines, Sikorsky Aircraft and
Collins Aerospace demanding that they preserve any evidence relating to
the crash.
In a statement, the Army declined to comment on the filing Wednesday.
“Out of respect for the deceased, their families, and the ongoing
investigation, it is inappropriate for the Army to comment on any
speculation regarding claims or potential litigation," Army spokesperson
Maj. Montrell Russell said. "Our primary focus is on supporting the
families and ensuring the safety of our Soldiers and the public.”
The FAA said Wednesday that it does not comment on potential litigation.
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Salvage crews work near the wreckage site in the Potomac River
of a mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black
Hawk helicopter, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Feb.
4, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, file)
On Jan. 29, American Airlines Flight 5342 was coming in from
Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, as it
approached Reagan National to land on a clear Wednesday night. At
the same time, an Army Black Hawk, made by Sikorsky, was on a
training exercise with three soldiers aboard. The two aircraft
collided and plunged into the Potomac River, killing everyone on
board the jet and helicopter.
It was the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since 2001, when a jet
slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff,
killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.
Investigators have said the helicopter may have had inaccurate
altitude readings in the moments before the crash, and the crew may
not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers. The
collision likely occurred at an altitude just under 300 feet (91
meters), as the plane descended toward the helicopter, which was
well above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.
Clifford also cited an FAA report that said the air traffic control
staffing “was not normal” at the time of the crash. One air traffic
controller was responsible for both coordinating helicopter traffic
and arriving and departing planes, when those duties are often
divided between two controllers, the report said. But the airport
typically combines those roles at night when traffic begins to slow.
Casey Crafton was a technical support manager for an aviation
consulting firm who was returning from a business trip to Wichita
when he died. He and Rachel Crafton had three young sons, ages 7, 10
and 12, and he coached their youth soccer and baseball teams.
"They will be grieving him for the rest of their lives that will
never be the same,” Clifford said. “This crash involves complex
matters, and the family deserves answers as to what happened to
their loved one.”
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