Midair Collision Sparks Sweeping Federal Lawsuit

Good afternoon!

In today’s email:

• Victims’ Families Take D.C. Air Disaster to Court

• Around the Skies: Archer’s Midnight sets new flight record, FAA hits its mark in hiring push, Young Eagles Program nears 2.5 million flights, GE and Merlin join forces on smart flight, Stay proficient with Sporty’s free webinar series

• PilotTube: From Pickup to Global Adventure: Matt Guthmiller’s Journey in a TBM 850

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

Families Say D.C. Air Crash Was Preventable

The fallout from January’s catastrophic midair collision over Washington, D.C. has now moved into the courts. The family of Casey Crafton—one of 67 lives lost—has filed a sweeping wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. government, American Airlines and PSA Airlines alleging negligence across the board. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the 115-page complaint points the finger at every party involved: American for overloading Ronald Reagan National’s approach system, PSA for inadequate pilot training, the FAA for failing to ensure safe separation and the U.S. Army for allowing a Black Hawk to fly with faulty equipment and without ADS-B Out active.

The lawsuit paints a grim picture of systemic failures. Attorneys claim American ignored repeated warnings about “near misses” at DCA while PSA crews were unprepared for helicopter traffic in the complex airspace. FAA controllers, they allege, prioritized throughput over safety and failed to warn of the converging aircraft. The Army is faulted for letting the Black Hawk exceed altitude restrictions and operate with outdated instruments. Together the suit argues those errors turned a challenging nighttime approach into an inevitable tragedy.

At a press conference in Washington the Crafton family spoke with raw emotion. “The future we dreamed about has been taken away from us,” said Casey’s widow Rachel through her brother-in-law. Other families, including Doug Lane who lost both his wife and son, stood alongside them vowing to push for accountability and systemic change. Their message was clear: this was not an accident of fate but a preventable disaster that demands justice.

The legal team, led by high-profile aviation attorney Robert Clifford, acknowledged the sensitivity of pointing to potential pilot error but emphasized that expert analysis supports those claims. Clifford noted that the complaint is expected to become the guiding case for other families who will likely join in. While no dollar figure has been made public the families are seeking a jury trial, hoping not only for damages but also to spark long-overdue reforms in air traffic oversight and military-civilian flight coordination.

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AROUND THE SKIES

🛩️ Archer Aviation’s Midnight air taxi soared to 7,000 feet in a recent piloted test, its highest flight to date. Designed to carry four passengers on short urban hops, the eVTOL has already set distance and speed records as it advances toward certification. Archer aims to launch service in the UAE next year with U.S. flights expected by 2027, maintaining momentum in the race for urban air mobility.

🛩️ The FAA has met its 2025 goal by hiring 2,000 new air traffic controllers, a step toward easing the nationwide shortage. The agency still needs about 3,500 more but incentives like bonuses, expanded training and delayed-retirement perks are helping boost numbers. With plans to add nearly 9,000 controllers by 2028, the FAA is working to keep America’s skies moving smoothly.

🛩️ EAA has launched “Mission 2.5,” a final push to reach 2.5 million Young Eagles flights by AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. Since 1992 more than 50,000 pilots have flown 2.45 million kids, inspiring new generations of aviators. The “25 for 2.5” campaign and chapter incentives aim to rally pilots for the last stretch—inviting them to take a young person flying and help shape aviation’s future.

🛩️ GE Aerospace and Merlin are partnering to develop an autonomy core that blends AI pilot-assist tools with uncrewed flight capabilities. The first application will be the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 modernization program, designed to reduce cockpit workload and move toward single-pilot operations. By combining Merlin’s avionics with GE’s open architecture, the partnership envisions scalable systems for both military and civil aviation—a bold step toward smarter, more autonomous skies.

🛩️ Sporty’s is helping pilots stay sharp with its free webinar series running through fall and winter. Each live session is led by instructors or industry experts and includes a Q&A, covering topics from simulator training and legal essentials to engine management and iPad flying techniques. Upcoming webinars begin October 15, while past sessions on ATC, pilot hiring and headsets are already available on demand. Registration is open now, giving pilots an easy way to stay proficient and connected from the comfort of home.

PilotTube

Check out Matt Guthmiller as he embarked on a new adventure with a freshly picked-up TBM 850. He flew the turboprop around the world, testing its speed, range and comfort in real-world conditions. Along the way he grew familiar with the aircraft and shared the journey with aviation fans everywhere. It became one unforgettable ride across the skies.

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