Aviation Accident Attorneys
Aviation Law Group PS is a leading law firm representing persons on the West Coast and throughout the United States, in aircraft accidents and other aviation-related cases involving serious injury and wrongful death. ALG has expanded its domestic practice nationally to include the West Coast and East Coast, with offices in Seattle, Washington, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Jupiter, Florida. With more than 35 years of experience practicing law and more than 45 years in aviation, ALG is proud of our highly credentialed attorneys, who are all also certified commercial pilots and two are certified mechanics. ALG has a long history of excellent legal work and results on behalf of hundreds of clients in the highly technical and complex area of aviation litigation. ALG attorneys are licensed to practice law throughout the United States, including Alaska, Washington, Hawaii, California, and Florida. We routinely handle cases throughout the U.S., and with local counsel we can bring our aviation experience to cases in all 50 States, Canada, and Internationally.

Bob Hedrick
Attorney 30+ years
Commercial Pilot
A&P Aviation Mechanic
20+ Years Professor of Aviation Accident Law

Casey DuBose
Attorney 10+ years
Commercial Pilot
Flight Instructor
Fluent Mandarin Chinese
Professor of Aviation and Space Law

Kerry Kovarik
Attorney 16+ years
Commercial Pilot
Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Former FAA Authorized Inspector

Chris Rusing
Attorney 20+ years
Airline Pilot & Instructor
Airbus 320 Series Captain
WHAT WE DO
Aviation Accident Law
General Aviation Accidents
General aviation involves private and recreational flight activity. It includes non-airline flights such as scenic flights, flight training, private flights, recreational flights, helicopter flights and operations, seaplanes, flying clubs, business flights, gliders, and a lot of other aerial activity. All of Aviation Law Group attorneys have extensive experience in many aspects of general aviation, from flying and instructing, to operations and aircraft maintenance. Since 1988, our lawyers have handled accidents involving nearly all aspects of general aviation activity for airplanes, helicopters, and fixed base operators.
Helicopter Accidents
Helicopter accidents often involve issues of external load operations such as longline or external load (link to external load), heli-lifting, heli-logging, and fire-fighting support.
Major Airline Accidents
ALG attorneys have represented numerous families who lost loved ones in major airline disasters, such as the January 31, 2000, Alaska Flight 261 accident near Point Hueneme, California, and the February 25, 2009, Turkish Airline Flight TK 1951 accident in Amsterdam. We have extensive experience with international airline liability law, including the Montreal Convention and its predecessor the Warsaw Convention, where issues of liability, jurisdiction, applicable law, and recoverable damages are complex. ALG attorneys have given many talks and written numerous articles in this specialized field of law. Mr. Hedrick also teaches the Montreal Convention as part of his Aviation Accident Law course at Seattle University School of Law.
International Coverage and Regional Expertise
Washington
Unfortunately, aircraft accidents occur nearly weekly throughout Washington. In addition, many aircraft accidents outside of Washington involve Washington manufacturers or operators.
Alaska
Because of the extent of aviation activity throughout the 49th and largest state in the U.S., Robert Hedrick obtained his attorney license in Alaska nearly 20 years ago in 2002 and is an active member of the Alaska Bar Association.
Hawaii
Aviation activity is unique in the Hawaiian archipelago because of its location and geographical topography.
Recent Aviation Law News

Specialized Legal Considerations for Delta Flight 4819 Passengers: International Treaties and Remedies
Unlike airline accidents that occur on domestic flights within the United States, such as the horrific events of American Airlines 5342 where Federal or State law will govern, international accidents can be governed by Treaty, specifically the Montreal Convention.

Aviation Law Group Attorneys Find Concerning Similarities Between Bering Air Cessna Caravan Accident and 2021 Caravan Accident Near Fairbanks
In 2021, a Cessna Caravan operating in Alaska encountered severe icing, spun towards the ground, and came within moments of crashing. That accident and the Bering Air accident have similarities that cannot be overlooked.

From Night Vision Goggles to Human Factors: How Multiple Variables Converged in the KDCA Accident
According to NTSB, PAT25 impacted American Airlines 5342 at an altitude of roughly 325 feet, 125 feet above the altitude restrictions for the helicopter in the area.
关于AA5342华盛顿撞机事故
央视报道,华盛顿撞机事故遇难者中有2名中国公民。我们向AA5342空难遇难者及其家属致哀,我们的心与其同在。 我们能在美国以航空律师事务所的身份提供您相关的法律服务。 Aviation Law Group 律师 Chris Rusing 多次亲自驾驶加拿大支线喷气式飞机以降落到里根国家机场。他指出,这很有挑战性——尤其是在夜间——而且遇到一架直升机在短距降落时会完全出乎意料。 航空法律集团(Aviation Law...
Aviation Law Group Critical of Facts to Date, Begins Its Own Investigation into the Crash of American Airlines Flight 5342 on Approach into DCA
The attorneys at Aviation Law Group offer our most sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims in this tragic accident. We hope that by applying facts to our experience as attorneys and pilots who have actually flown regional jets as well as...
Jeju Air 2216 : Boeing 737 Aircraft Systems in Review
Aviation Law Group (ALG) is actively investigating the Jeju Air accident at Muan International Airport, drawing on its extensive background in aviation law and the expertise of attorneys who are also licensed pilots. Our team is meticulously reviewing preliminary...
Jeju Air Crash: A Horrible Tragedy Unfolds
Finger Pointing is Expected Our hearts go out to the families of the passengers and crew who perished in the Jeju Air crash at Muan Airport in Korea on December 29. While the causes of the accident will ultimately be determined by the South Korean Aviation and Railway...
HA35 Pilots Knew Of Serious Bad Weather And Turbulence Before Recklessly Flying Into It And Not Around It | NTSB Final Report Confirms ALG’s Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its final report on the December 18, 2022, severe turbulence incident involving Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35, confirming much of what we at Aviation Law Group discovered in our own investigation. This flight,...
ALG Attorneys Investigating Tragic Beech Baron Accident in Crystal River Florida
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently issued its Preliminary Report on the crash of a Beech 95-B55 (Baron), N5868S, on October 1, 2024, at about 1540 Eastern daylight time, near Crystal River, Florida. Sadly, the aircraft’s owner, pilot, and lone...
Test Flight Tragedy – Fatal Aircraft Crash in Fairview, Oregon
On Saturday, August 31, 2024, a tragic aircraft accident occurred near Troutdale Airport (TTD/KTTD) in Fairview, Oregon, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. The incident involved a twin-engine Cessna 421C Golden Eagle, registered as N421GP, which crashed...
Aviation Law Group Encourages The NTSB And The FAA To Re-Open Their Investigation Of Robinson Helicopter Main Rotor Control Loss Following Two Recent Tailboom Separation Accidents In Washington State and in Hawaii
A Robinson helicopter accident on June 29, 1992, involving the inflight break-up of the helicopter prompted the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to launch a special investigation into Robinson R22 and R44 helicopter main rotor control accidents. The Federal...
Steamboat Springs C-421 Accident UPDATE: Pilot Reported Engine Issues Before Accident
By Robert Hedrick and Kerry Kovarik As we predicted shortly after this accident, the NTSB preliminary report supports our suspicion that an engine issue was in fact involved in this accident. The planned flight route for the Cessna 421, N245T, a light twin-engine...
ALG Monitoring Piper Warrior II July 10, 2024 Flight Instruction Accident At The North Palm Beach County Airport, Florida
On July 10, 2024, at approximately 14:15 EDT, a Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II in visual flight conditions with two people on board, crashed into a lake north of runway 27L while performing a “touch-and-go” at North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport (F45) in West...
Here We Go Again: Another Fatal R-44 Crash In Kauai Less Than One Month After An R-44 Tail Boom Came Off In Flight In Washington State Killing Two
We are shocked but not surprised to hear of yet another deadly Robinson R-44 crash, N144KW, this time just off the North Coast of Kauai on July 11, 2024. Our hearts go out to the families of the two passengers and pilot who were on the sight-seeing flight operated by...
ALG Attorneys Seriously Concerned About Crash of Robinson R-44 In Washington After Tail Boom Apparently Comes Off In Cruise Flight
Another tragic Robinson R-44 accident has struck Washington. This one occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. on June 19, 2024, near Bluestem, Washington. The pilot was a very experienced retired commercial pilot and flight instructor. The passenger was a rated airplane...
Representative Cases
Airplane Mis-fueling Accident
A lineman working for local aircraft fueling operation pumped Jet-A aircraft fuel into the tanks of a reciprocating single-engine airplane, which required 100 octane low lead fuel.
Defective Carburetor Accident
In February 2013, following a 3-week trial, a Washington jury returned a verdict for $8.9 million in favor of our client against an aircraft engine manufacturer.
Regional Fly-In Accident
After a 3-week jury trial, Robert Hedrick obtained a $10.5 million verdict against a regional fly-in host and its national counterpart. The case involved failure to arrange for adequate fire and emergency response at the event, which caused a pilot to die needlessly.
Aircraft Design Defect
Last year, after a two-week trial, a 12-person jury returned a verdict in favor of the clients of Aviation Law Group, finding that an aircraft’s flight control system was defectively designed, which caused the deaths of a pilot and his passenger.
Firm Contact Information
If you or a loved one has been the victim of an aviation-related accident, please reach out to us. We are always willing to provide a free initial evaluation and meeting.