In taking responsibility for the July 2015 midair collision between a U.S. Air Force F-16 and a Cessna 150 near Charleston SC (CHS), a government report said the FAA’s air traffic controllers were responsible for actions and omissions that led to the accident. Citing the see and avoid concept, the report said the pilots of both aircraft were considered factors in the collision.
U.S. Government Accepts Responsibility for July 2015 Midair
Key Takeaways:
- The U.S. government has admitted responsibility for the July 2015 midair collision between an F-16 and a Cessna 150 near Charleston, SC, attributing it to FAA air traffic controllers' actions and omissions.
- This admission came in response to a lawsuit by the families of the two Cessna victims, for whose deaths the government does not contest liability, though the quantum of damages is still disputed.
- A specific controller error involved directing the F-16 onto a collision course with the Cessna, despite an NTSB animation suggesting it would have passed behind the Cessna otherwise.
- Victims' attorney Mary Schiavo views this admission as a significant first step and plans to pursue damages through a jury trial.
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