Plane Crash Lawyers for Aviation Accident Litigation Since 1968
Katzman, Lampert & Stoll’s sole focus is plane crash and aviation accident litigation. The firm represents individuals and families affected by plane crashes and aircraft accidents in the United States and abroad, including commercial airline disasters, general aviation crashes, and complex aircraft product liability matters. For more than five decades, the firm has evaluated, investigated, and litigated aviation accident cases involving commercial airlines, corporate aircraft, helicopters, and general aviation operations.
Aviation accidents are sudden and devastating events. Families are often left navigating technical investigations, regulatory processes, and complex legal questions. Many aviation accident cases also involve aircraft manufacturers, airlines, maintenance organizations, and insurers whose interests may not align with a full understanding of the causes of the event. As plane crash lawyers, our role is to explain those processes clearly, conduct an independent evaluation of the accident, identify the parties whose conduct or products may have contributed, and pursue legal remedies when the facts support doing so.
An initial discussion is confidential, without cost, and focused on understanding the circumstances of the accident. If representation appears warranted, we explain the next steps clearly and in writing, including what information will need to be gathered, preserved, and evaluated.
Firm Perspective
Our Commitment to Air Law and Litigation
Commercial aviation has become markedly safer over time. That progress reflects the work of many participants across the aviation system, and it has also been reinforced when serious failures are investigated carefully and accountability remains meaningful. When major aviation events do occur, families and survivors often need counsel able to investigate the facts independently, evaluate complex technical issues, and pursue responsibility where safety obligations were not met.
Read our letter to prospective clients describing the firm’s approach to aviation accident investigation, technical analysis, and accountability litigation.
Aviation Litigation Practice Focus
Katzman Lampert & Stoll represents individuals and families in complex aviation accident litigation nationwide. The firm investigates and litigates claims arising from commercial airline disasters, private and corporate aircraft accidents, helicopter crashes, and aircraft product liability matters involving manufacturers and component suppliers. Depending on the facts, that work may include claims involving operational error, maintenance failures, certification issues, and system or component defects.
- Commercial airline accident litigation
- Private and corporate aircraft accidents
- Helicopter and rotorcraft accidents
- Aircraft product liability and systems failure cases
- Maintenance negligence and inspection failures
- Operational control and flight-oversight claims
- Military and government contractor aviation matters
National Aviation Litigation Practice
Aviation accident cases often involve multiple parties, parallel government investigations, and complex technical and regulatory questions. Katzman, Lampert & Stoll handles these matters nationwide in federal and state courts, including cases that require coordinated litigation across jurisdictions.
The firm’s work includes investigating and pursuing claims against airlines, charter operators, aircraft and component manufacturers, maintenance and repair organizations, and other entities whose conduct may have contributed to the accident.
The firm’s litigation experience includes major commercial-airline disasters, product liability matters, and general aviation cases arising across a wide range of operational settings.
Representative Aviation Matters
The firm has litigated many of the most significant aviation disasters of the past several decades, representing plaintiffs in matters that required coordinated factual investigation, complex technical analysis, and sustained litigation against major defendants.
- Northwest Airlines Flight 255 – Detroit, Michigan
- Pan Am Flight 103 – Lockerbie, Scotland
- Continental Airlines Flight 1713 – Denver, Colorado
- United Airlines Flight 811 – Pacific Ocean
- United Airlines Flight 585 – Colorado Springs, Colorado
- TWA Flight 800 – Atlantic Ocean
- Korean Airlines Flight 801 – Guam
- American Eagle Flight 3379 – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
- United Airlines Flight 232 – Sioux City, Iowa
- USAir Flight 427 – near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Comair Flight 3272 – Detroit, Michigan
- Comair Flight 5191 – Lexington, Kentucky
The firm also represented the flight crew of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that crashed near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In addition to major commercial airline disasters, the practice includes substantial experience investigating and litigating general aviation accident cases.
Investigation Informed by Aviation Experience
Aviation cases turn on facts, data, and disciplined reconstruction. The firm maintains in-house investigative capability as part of its aviation practice so that accident circumstances, physical evidence, operational decisions, and technical issues can be evaluated independently and early. All three partners are certificated pilots, and the firm’s aviation resources support direct site access and operational assessment when appropriate.
In prior Boeing 737 litigation involving United 585 and USAir 427, the firm conducted component-level examination of a rudder power control unit and developed a test apparatus to evaluate hydraulic performance as part of its analysis.
Practice Attributes
The firm’s practice is structured to support technically demanding plaintiff-side aviation litigation from the earliest stages of investigation through trial and appeal.
- Sole aviation litigation focus
- Partners are licensed pilots
- In-house investigative capability
- National federal court experience
Aircraft Product Liability and Technical Litigation
The firm litigates aircraft product liability cases on behalf of plaintiffs in matters involving aircraft design, certification, manufacturing, and warning-related issues. These cases have included claims involving airframe de-icing systems, rudder control systems, runaway trim events, structural failures, autopilot malfunctions, engine failures, fly-by-wire systems, and augmented flight control systems.
The practice also encompasses claims involving maintenance deficiencies, inspection failures, and operational error under demanding flight conditions.
Federal Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation
Preemption questions can affect whether, and under what standards, aviation product liability claims proceed under state law. Members of the firm have litigated federal preemption issues in aviation matters in federal appellate courts, including proceedings before the United States Supreme Court. That appellate experience informs the firm’s handling of technically and doctrinally complex plaintiff-side aviation cases.
Common Questions
If you are considering whether to contact the firm, our Frequently Asked Questions page addresses common questions about investigation timing, fees, forum selection, and what to expect in the early stages of a case.
Aviation Accident Litigation
Overview of the legal and technical issues that shape serious aviation cases, including NTSB interaction, product liability, jurisdiction, and federal regulatory questions.
For Families
Clear guidance for families and survivors after an aviation accident, including immediate next steps, wrongful-death considerations, and what to expect as investigations begin.
Aviation Insights
Neutral analysis of aviation investigations, accident causation issues, and litigation frameworks intended to provide clarity for readers, journalists, and referring counsel.
Contact
For inquiries related to an aviation accident matter, you may contact the firm directly. Communications are handled confidentially, and initial discussions are focused on understanding the circumstances of the accident and whether further investigation is warranted. Initial consultations are without cost.
Featured Aviation Insights
Current events, analysis, and relevant expert commentary.
Runway Incursions and Aviation Litigation
Runway incursions expose critical breakdowns in airport communication, coordination, and surface control. Even without catastrophic injury, these events can reveal systemic safety weaknesses and create substantial litigation issues involving causation, operational procedures, air traffic control, airport design, and evidentiary analysis.
LaGuardia Runway Incursion Expert Commentary
The LaGuardia runway incursion highlights how near-miss events can reveal deeper operational strain, including possible breakdowns in sequencing, clearances, and surface coordination. Even without catastrophic consequences, such incidents may expose serious safety vulnerabilities and raise complex legal questions requiring careful factual investigation.
Air Canada Express Flight 8646 CRJ-900 Collision at LaGuardia (LGA)
Initial facts from Air Canada, the FAA, and the TSB of Canada on the March 22, 2026 Air Canada Express Flight 8646 (Jazz CRJ-900) accident at LaGuardia, where the aircraft struck an ARFF vehicle after landing on Runway 4. The Captain and First Officer were killed, and the NTSB is leading the investigation.
Cessna 172N Ditches in Hudson River Near Newburgh After Reported Oil Pressure Loss
A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna 172N instructional flight ditched in the Hudson River near Newburgh after the engine reportedly showed zero oil pressure and then lost power following a touch-and-go at Stewart International Airport.
Cessna 750 Runway Excursion During Landing at Telluride
A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna 750 was substantially damaged after losing directional control during landing rollout near Mountain Village, Colorado. Investigators are examining the reported wind conditions, crew control inputs, and the airplane’s response as the runway excursion sequence developed.
More Aviation Insights
Cessna 172N Ditches in Hudson River Near Newburgh After Reported Oil Pressure Loss
A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna 172N instructional flight ditched in the Hudson River near Newburgh after the engine reportedly showed zero oil pressure and then lost power following a touch-and-go at Stewart International Airport.
Cessna 750 Runway Excursion During Landing at Telluride
A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna 750 was substantially damaged after losing directional control during landing rollout near Mountain Village, Colorado. Investigators are examining the reported wind conditions, crew control inputs, and the airplane’s response as the runway excursion sequence developed.
Delta Flight 104 Returns to São Paulo After Reported Left-Engine Failure
Delta Flight 104 returned safely to São Paulo/Guarulhos shortly after takeoff on March 29, 2026, after a reported mechanical problem involving the left engine on an Airbus A330-323 registered N813NW. CENIPA and the FAA are investigating the event.
Airworthiness Directives, Service Bulletins, and Continuing Airworthiness
This article examines the legal and evidentiary role of Airworthiness Directives, Service Bulletins, and continuing airworthiness in aviation litigation. It explains how these materials affect notice, compliance, causation analysis, and the allocation of responsibility in technically complex aircraft cases.
Cessna T210M Crash Near Deerfield, Illinois During PWK Approach
A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna T210M crashed near Deerfield, Illinois on March 4, 2026 during the RNAV Runway 16 approach to Chicago Executive Airport after repeated low altitude alerts in night instrument conditions.
Kauai MD 500 Helicopter Crash Near Kalalau Beach Under NTSB Investigation
A Hughes/MD 500 air tour helicopter crashed near Kalalau Beach on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast on March 26, 2026, killing three people and injuring two others. Federal investigators are now examining the crash sequence, the operator’s records, and the technical evidence recovered from the remote shoreline site.
Runway Incursions and Aviation Litigation
Runway incursions expose critical breakdowns in airport communication, coordination, and surface control. Even without catastrophic injury, these events can reveal systemic safety weaknesses and create substantial litigation issues involving causation, operational procedures, air traffic control, airport design, and evidentiary analysis.
LaGuardia Runway Incursion Expert Commentary
The LaGuardia runway incursion highlights how near-miss events can reveal deeper operational strain, including possible breakdowns in sequencing, clearances, and surface coordination. Even without catastrophic consequences, such incidents may expose serious safety vulnerabilities and raise complex legal questions requiring careful factual investigation.
NTSB Party Participant Process Commentary
The NTSB’s party-participant process allows manufacturers to assist in crash investigations involving their own products while victims are excluded. In aviation accident litigation, that imbalance can shape early technical findings and later courtroom narratives, making it critical for courts and juries to understand the distinction.
Aviation Accident Litigation
- Aviation Accident Litigation
- Private and Corporate Aircraft Accident Litigation
- Military & Government Contractor Aviation Litigation
- Complex Aviation Litigation Methodology
- NTSB Investigations & Civil Aviation Claims
- Federal Preemption in Aviation Product Liability
- Defeating GARA Defenses in Aviation Product Liability Litigation
- For Families and Survivors
MICHIGAN OFFICE
Katzman Lampert & Stoll
950 West University Dr #101
Rochester, MI 48307
E-mail: Click to use our Contact Form
Toll-Free: (866) 309-6097
Phone: (248) 258-4800
Fax: (248) 258-2825
COLORADO OFFICE
Katzman Lampert & Stoll
9596 Metro Airport Ave.
Broomfield, CO 80021
E-mail: Click to use our Contact Form
Toll-Free: (866) 309-6097
Phone: (303) 465-3663
Fax: (303) 867-1565
PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE
Katzman Lampert & Stoll
121 N. Wayne Ave. # 205
Wayne, PA 19087
E-mail: Click to use our Contact Form
Toll-Free: (866) 309-6097
Phone: (610) 686-9686
Fax: (610) 686-9687























