Family sues government over 2015 midair collision deaths
The family of a father and son killed when their small plane was hit by an Air Force jet nearly two years ago is suing the federal government.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports ) the lawsuit contends the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic controller failed to respond appropriately before the crash in South Carolina.
Sixty-eight-year-old Michael Johnson and 30-year-old Joseph Johnson died when their Cessna was hit by an F-16 jet fighter on July 15, 2015, over Berkeley County. The fighter pilot ejected safely.
The lawsuit says the air traffic controller failed to act urgently enough to have the fighter avoid the smaller plane.
Attorney Jim Brauchle says the family of the victims feels forgotten. He says six months of negotiations have failed to reach an agreement with the federal government. AP
U.S. Official: Russia knew Syrian chemical attack was coming
The United States has made a preliminary conclusion that Russia knew in advance of Syria’s chemical weapons attack last week, but has no proof of Moscow’s involvement. That’s according to a senior U.S. official.
The official said April 10 that a drone operated by Russians was flying over a hospital as victims of the attack were rushing to get treatment. Hours after the drone left, a Russian-made fighter jet bombed the hospital in what American officials believe was an attempt to cover up the usage of chemical weapons.
The official said the presence of the surveillance drone over the hospital couldn’t have been a coincidence. AP
Navy continues to ground training plane over oxygen problems
The U.S. Navy continues to ground a fleet of training jets because of a spike in problems with their oxygen breathing systems.
Vice Admiral Mike Shoemaker wrote in a Navy blog post April 9 that instructor pilots have raised concerns over potential “physiological episodes” in the cockpit.
The Navy first paused operations of the T-45C Goshawk last week because of contamination in some planes’ oxygen systems. The two-seat jet is used to train fighter pilots in the Navy and Marine Corps.
Shoemaker wrote that the grounding will last for at least a week as engineers continue to dig into the problem.
Shoemaker wrote that he spoke with instructor pilots, students and staff at naval air stations in Mississippi, Texas and Florida. AP