Airplane-Weight and Balance

Woman sustained multiple trauma including a severe injury to her left leg, when the aircraft in which she was a passenger crashed shortly after take-off.

The aircraft was owned by defendant A and leased to defendant C. The pilot at the time of the incident was defendant R, who had rented the aircraft from defendant C on the date of the accident. The cause of the accident was the combined negligence of the defendants who allowed the pilot to rent and fly the aircraft in the absence of performing a weight and balance check. The load in the aircraft was some 150 lbs. over the weight limit allowed in the aircraft. This excess weight, combined with the hot, humid weather on the date of the accident overtaxed the aircraft engine, causing loss of power. The defendants knew or should have known that the pilot was not qualified to fly the plane.