US Class Action Targets Jeju Air Crash, FAA Engine Oversight
A leading U.S. law firm has initiated legal steps that could lead to multimillion-dollar litigation over the December 29, 2024, crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in Muan, South Korea, which killed 179 passengers and crew. Chicago-based Ribbeck Law Chartered has formally requested documents from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), signaling the start of potential class action lawsuits in U.S. courts.
Ribbeck Law plans to pursue claims against multiple parties, including aircraft manufacturers, engine suppliers, and regulatory bodies. The firm has requested access to FAA records concerning the certification of the CFM International CFM56-7B engines that powered the Boeing 737-800 involved in the crash. The request includes type certification files, testing data, airworthiness directives, and related correspondence to investigate possible design flaws, manufacturing defects, or regulatory failures.
“This information is essential,” said Monica R. Kelly, Ribbeck Law’s head of global litigation. “If any shortcuts were taken during engine certification, it could have contributed to this tragedy.”
Ribbeck Law previously represented families in litigation related to the Boeing 737 MAX crashes involving Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, which exposed gaps in the certification process.
The cause of the Jeju Air crash remains under investigation. A preliminary report from South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board pointed to a possible bird strike and airport infrastructure issues. However, the loss of cockpit voice and flight data recordings during the incident has limited insight into the final moments of the flight.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com