Heli USA Airways Pilot pleas on three counts of manslaghter in aircraft "accident"...

[FN FAL]

Heli USA Airways Pilot pleas on three counts of manslaghter in aircraft "accident"...

Pilot enters pleas in fatal chopper crash

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_HELICOPTER_CRASH_WIOL-?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) -- The pilot of a tour helicopter involved in a crash that killed a Wisconsin man and two other people on Kauai has pleaded not guilty to three counts of manslaughter and other charges.

Glen Lampton, who entered the plea Tuesday, was indicted in December on the manslaughter charges plus two counts of reckless endangering, as well as providing a false statement to authorities and tampering with evidence.

Trial is set for July 26. Lampton, who now lives in Las Vegas, asked the Circuit Court for permission to travel back and forth for the proceedings.

On Sept. 23, Lampton was piloting Heli USA Airways helicopter that crashed in the ocean near Haena Point.Killed in the crash were Laverne Clifton of Beloit, Wis., who died of cardiac arrest caused by near drowning, and Catherine Baron and Mary H. Soucy, both of Portland, Maine, who drowned.

Lampton and two other passengers, Clifton's daughter Karen Thorson and her husband Bill, survived.

The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing its investigation the cause of the accident.

Lampton has told officials that just before the accident, he suddenly saw another helicopter coming straight for him, turned to avoid a crash and encountered heavy rain that caused him to descend rapidly.

The Thorsons have said they saw another helicopter at the time of the accident, but it was so far away they didn't believe Lampton had to maneuver to avoid hitting it.

 

[troy]

Interesting that they charged him before NTSB has even completed their investigation.

 

[TransMach]

Criminal vs NTSB

Actually, criminal law (Title 8 USC for federal and various state codes for state law) is completely independent from Title 14 USC, Aviation and Aerospace. The NTSB will determine what it believes caused the accident in the interest of safety and has nothing to do with the criminal aspect or civil liability.

TransMach

 

[FN FAL]

Interesting that they charged him before NTSB has even completed their investigation.

The several states don't need federal permission to try a criminal case. This guy isn't being tried by a federal court, he's being tried by the State of Hawaii.

I would imagine this pilot's own statements made after the crash, plus statements made by witnesses, were more than enough to get the ball rolling on a criminal trial.

All the state has to prove is the negligent act, they already have the actor. And the actor probably should have taken the 5th.