Jury Awards $16.9 Million in Fatal 2019 PenAir Unalaska Crash
Nearly six years after a fatal airplane crash in Unalaska, Alaska, a Washington state jury has found Peninsula Aviation Services, Inc. (PenAir) liable for negligence and awarded $16.9 million to the family of passenger David Oltman, who died in the 2019 accident. The verdict follows a six-week trial and three days of deliberation at a Kent, Washington courthouse.
The case, handled by Miller, Weisbrod, Olesky, Attorneys at Law, marks the first fatal commercial airline crash trial in the United States in more than 25 years. The jury concluded that PenAir’s operational failures directly contributed to the crash of its Saab 2000 aircraft on October 17, 2019, at Unalaska Airport.
The aircraft, carrying about 40 passengers, overran the end of the short runway during landing, sliding into the harbor and striking ballast rocks. Shrapnel from a dislodged propeller penetrated the cabin, fatally injuring Oltman, a 38-year-old resident of Wenatchee, Washington. Nine other passengers sustained injuries. Oltman had been traveling to Unalaska on a ticket purchased through Alaska Airlines.
A two-year investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified multiple contributing factors, including faulty wiring in the aircraft’s anti-skid brake system, inadequate regulatory oversight, and an inexperienced flight crew. The NTSB determined that the likely cause of the crash was a miswired anti-skid system installed during a previous maintenance overhaul, which prevented the brakes from functioning properly and caused the aircraft to overrun the runway.
Investigators also noted that the flight crew had been aware of significant tailwinds at the time of approach but chose to land in a direction unfavorable to the prevailing wind pattern. The decision, combined with mechanical deficiencies, proved fatal.
According to the jury’s findings, the company responsible for the maintenance overhaul that cross-wired the braking system was found partially liable; however, PenAir bore the majority of the responsibility for the accident. The judgment compensates the Oltman family for wrongful death and negligence claims.
The 2019 Unalaska crash remains one of the most serious aviation accidents in Alaska’s recent history. The jury’s verdict not only delivers justice to the victim’s family but also serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent maintenance oversight, regulatory compliance, and operational discipline in regional air transport operations.
Related News: https://airguide.info/?s=NTSB, https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/travel-health-security/
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ktoo.org