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San Diego Mid-Air Victim’s Family Sues ATC

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Key Takeaways:

  • The family of Michael Copeland, a Qualcomm executive killed in a mid-air collision, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
  • The lawsuit targets Serco Inc., the private air traffic control company for Brown Field, alleging their controller improperly managed the distance between the aircraft.
  • It also names BAE Systems, operator of the Sabreliner 60, claiming their pilots should have seen the Cessna Skyhawk and avoided the collision.
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The family of Michael Copeland, a Qualcomm executive who died when the Cessna 172 Skyhawk he piloted crashed as a result of a midair collision with a Sabreliner 60 last August, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against New Jersey-based Serco Inc., the private air traffic control company that contracts with the government to provide services to San Diego’s Brown Field Municipal Airport (KSDM).

Pia Bergqvist

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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