Ag Plane Crash Leads to $6.7 Million Wrongful Death Verdict

Stephen Pope

Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 08:56 PM ET

Verified

Meteorological Evaluation Towers

Key Takeaways:

Experienced ag pilot Steve Allen died crashing into an unlit, unmarked wind observation tower, leading to a $6.7 million wrongful death settlement for his family.
The tower was intentionally built just under 200 feet, exploiting a loophole that allowed it to avoid FAA lighting and reporting requirements, thereby posing a nearly invisible hazard to low-flying aircraft.
This incident highlights a broader safety issue with numerous such "MET" towers erected by the wind energy industry, which often prioritize cost-saving over aviation safety by evading regulations.

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When Steve Allen, a highly respected Northern California ag pilot with 26,000 accident free hours, crashed his Rockwell S-2R into a whisper-thin, barely visible galvanized steel wind observation tower on January 11, 2011, a dark and sickening secret about personal greed and avarice was exposed for all the world to see.

The $6.7 million wrongful death settlement the aviator’s family was awarded this month will hopefully help ensure other similar tragedies won’t happen in the future.