Aircraft Structural Failures

Defective Design, Unsafe Aircraft, Overstressed Frame

An aircraft’s structural failure in midair is a frightening and often fatal experience. Bad design, improper maintenance, careless construction and retrofitted parts are among many causes of structural failure which lead to aircraft crashes.

Aircraft Structural Failure Attorneys

At Gray Ritter Graham in St. Louis, we investigate aircraft accidents, find the cause (or causes) and hold the responsible companies or individuals accountable. Our personal injury and product liability lawyers work together to get answers and compensation for our clients.

• A bad design or a defective manufacturing process can over-stress the airframe and lead to an aircraft’s structural failure. The manufacturer is liable for manufacturing and selling a dangerous product.
• A mechanical retrofit can cause problems. A new avionics system may not interact well with the plane’s existing systems. A bigger engine may be more than the aircraft’s structure can safely carry.
• A failure to warn about possible problems can put a plane, its pilot and passengers at risk. The plane may not have been designed and tested beyond a certain speed, for example, and the manufacturer cannot be sure of its stability at higher speeds.
• An F-15 aircraft is built to exacting specifications so that it can withstand the stresses of Mach 2 speeds. When an F-15 broke in half from an in-flight structural failure, an investigation determined the aircraft did not meet specs, and that the accumulation of fatigue cycles finally broke the aircraft after many hours of flying. The manufacturer was at fault.

Thorough investigation is an important part of our aviation accident practice.

Our clients want and need to have answers about why a plane crashed. The losses can be devastating in terms of human life, as well as to the plane and cargo. Our attorneys have the resources and knowledge to investigate aircraft crashes. Contact us for a consultation. We represent clients in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and throughout the country.