Two Others Killed In Incident

A top aviation lawyer has called for answers following the death of a leading BP executive in a plane crash off the coast of northern Florida.

Clive Garner, Head of Irwin Mitchell’s Aviation law team reacted after it was announced that James Patrick Black, who was heavily involved in the oil clean-up operation in the Gulf of Mexico, was killed in the incident.

Few details have yet emerged about the incident, but it believed that the Piper PA-46 Malibu aircraft crashed while trying to land at Destin Airport in heavy fog conditions on Tuesday night (November 23rd).

Gregory Scott Coleman, who was piloting, and Charlene Black Miller also died in the incident. The US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) is now investigating the crash.

Irwin Mitchell has experience of representing victims and families who have suffered the devastation caused by light aircraft crashes around the World. The firm is currently acting on behalf of the families of those killed in several light aircraft crashes in the UK, Venezuela and Peru as well as in disasters involving large commercial aircraft in including incidents in France, Cameroon, Afghanistan and Lebanon.

Clive Garner from the firm said: “Some initial reports suggest that the Piper PA -46 aircraft in this incident ran into difficulty due to the prevailing weather conditions. Thorough investigation of the circumstances leading up to the crash will determine the extent to which the weather played a part and if other factors are also relevant including the possibility of pilot error or mechanical problems.

“The Piper Malibu is popular with both business and private users across the world.  This latest incident comes only a few weeks after a Piper Malibu crash near Gubinek in Poland which killed both the pilot and passenger. The cause of that crash is also not yet known. 

“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those killed in this tragic incident.”