Commemorative Air Force Faces Lawsuit in Fatal Midair Collision

The family of the B-17 pilot killed during the Wings Over Dallas WWII Airshow is suing, alleging negligence.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, September 05, 2023 at 04:26 PM ET

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The B-17 ‘Texas Raiders’ from the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing. [Courtesy: Jim Allen]

Key Takeaways:

The family of Len Root, a pilot killed in the 2022 Wings Over Dallas airshow midair collision, is suing the event organizer, Commemorative Air Force (CAF), and air boss Russell Royce for alleged negligence.
The lawsuit claims negligence stemmed from failures in flight control, maintaining aircraft separation, preflight briefings, and allowing an "unsafe, unqualified air boss" to oversee operations.
The accident, which killed six men, occurred when a P-63F fighter struck a B-17G bomber after reportedly being directed by the air boss to maneuver in front of the bombers without proper altitude deconfliction.
The Root family seeks over $1 million in damages, aiming for answers, accountability, and improved airshow safety protocols.

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The family of Len Root, one of six people killed in the midair collision of a B-17G and a P-63F during the Wings Over Dallas WWII Airshow last year, is suing the Commemorative Air Force, the organizers of the event, for negligence that allegedly caused the death of Root and five other men.

The lawsuit was filed last week in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of Angela Root, the wife of Len Root, and his daughters, Larisa Lichte, Kendra Hockaday, and Rebekah Lowery. Angela Root was at the airshow and witnessed the crash that killed her husband.