Update: August 21, 2008
It has been confirmed that of the 172 passengers and crew aboard Spanair Flight 5022, 153 have been confirmed dead. Of the 19 survivors, many are in critical condition and it is possible that the death toll of this tragic accident will continue to rise.
On August 20, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. local time, Spanair Flight 5022, registration number EC-HFP, took off from Madrid’s Barajas Airport en route to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. It has been reported that the MD-80 aircraft had engine problems, a possible fire in the left engine, lost control and then skidded off of Runway 36-L. The aircraft departed from Barajas’ Terminal 2 and taxied to the new runway near Terminal 4 for take-off. Madrid’s Barajas Airport is the tenth busiest airport in the world, and the fourth busiest in Europe. Spanair, known as a “budget airline”, is wholly owned by SAS Group (Scandinavian Airlines), is a member of the Star Alliance and is one of Spain’s three private airlines.
Information on the passengers aboard the accident aircraft has not been confirmed at this time; however it has been widely reported that there were 178 individuals on board and there have been reports of as many as 149 fatalities. Live video shows that there are both white and black columns of smoke surrounding the crash site. Reports indicate that the aircraft’s fuselage broke into two pieces post-crash.
The MD-80 accident aircraft, manufactured in 1993, contained Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines. Motley Rice Aviation attorney Mary Schiavo, extensively investigated JT8D engines during her tenure as Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The parts of the JT8D engine, through no fault of Pratt & Whitney, are the most commonly and extensively counterfeited in the aviation industry. These bogus, counterfeited replacement parts for the JT8D engine have been known to lead to uncontained engine failures, leading to engine fires.
Mary Schiavo and the Motley Rice aviation team have experience in litigating cases involving Boeing’s MD-80 aircraft as well as engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney.
The Motley Rice aviation team is investigating this accident and any legal responsibility that Spanair, Boeing and Pratt & Whitney may have to the families of the victims of this tragic event. If you or someone you know is interested in seeking legal recourse due to wrongful death or personal injury as a result of this accident, please contact Motley Rice Aviation attorney Mary Schiavo (DC, MD, MO, SC) at (843) 216-9138 or toll free at 1-800-768-4026.
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