TacAero and Kevin Sutterfield are trying to dodge blame for crashing SW-51 N351MT at Gillespie Airport in January. But the manufacturer of the aircraft kit, ScaleWings, has analyzed the flight data from the aircraft’s Garmin Avionics system. ScaleWings sent its report to the NTSB, so it will likely end up in the public docket, eventually.
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Super Lawyers Magazine Profiles Danko Meredith’s Aviation Practice
By Mike Danko
Super Lawyers Magazine recently profiled our aviation accident practice in its Northern California 2026 edition, covering some of the cases that have shaped how we approach aviation litigation — including work following the crashes of TWA Flight 800, American Airlines Flight 587, and the Concorde disaster in Paris, as well as the ongoing role that…
Things TacAero’s Kevin Sutterfield Claims He Didn’t Know Before Ill-Fated Flight
By Mike Danko
The SW-51’s operating manuals are clear that you shouldn’t take off unless the engine is developing takeoff power, that you need to check the gauges to make sure that the engine is operating properly, and that for takeoff power the gauges need to show about 50 inches of manifold pressure.
When the Test Pilot Ignores the Gauges: Lawsuit Filed Against TacAero and Kevin Sutterfield
By Mike Danko
TacAero — the Fredericksburg, Texas taildragger operation now controlled by Kevin “Showtime” Sutterfield — has been sued for the crash of an experimental scale P-51 aircraft. Sutterfield himself was at the controls on the aircraft’s maiden flight when he crashed within sight of TacAero’s hangar at T82.
Background: What TacAero Does
TacAero specializes in taildragger…
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Defines Montreal Convention “Accident”
By Mike Danko
The Montreal Convention sets forth an airline’s liability for a passenger’s injury or death on an international flight. Under the Convention, the airline’s liability does not depend on whether the airline was “negligent” or otherwise “at fault” for the injury or death. Rather, the airline is automatically liable, provided that the injury was caused by…
American Eagle Flight 5342 Families are Entitled to Sue the US Military for the Black Hawk’s role in causing the Mid-Air Collision
By Mike Danko
The Feres Doctrine protects the military from lawsuits brought against it by Families of service members killed in the line of duty as a result of its negligence. The Feres Doctrine does not, however, prevent civilians who have lost love ones from suing.
Families must still navigate the nuances of the Federal Tort Claims Act…
Suing Air Traffic Control for the Mid-Air Collision at DCA
By Mike Danko
Wasn’t it Air Traffic Control’s job to keep the American Airlines flight safe from the Black Hawk helicopter? Can families sue Air Traffic Control to obtain compensation for their losses? What’s involved?
Air traffic controllers work within the guidelines set forth in the Controller’s Handbook (pdf), which they often call “the Bible.” The Handbook is hundreds…
Price Gouging After the Los Angeles Fires: How to Protect Your Community and Stand Against Exploitation
Price Gouging: What can you do to protect your community?
After disasters like the Eaton fire, communities rely on essential goods and services to recover—food, housing, medical supplies, and more. When businesses exploit these vulnerable times by inflating prices, it can have devastating consequences, particularly for those already struggling.
What is Price Gouging, and Why…
Catalina Island Beechcraft Baron Crash Similar to Cessna Twin Crash?
By Mike Danko
The Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 was found Tuesday night approximately one mile West of the Catalina Island Airport. It crashed shortly after takeoff, killing five on board. Weather reports indicated low clouds. Thus, the aircraft would have encountered “instrument conditions” in a matter of seconds after leaving the runway.
The aircraft turned right shortly after takeoff.…
Full-Face Snorkel Masks Implicated in Recent Drowning Tragedy
By Mike Danko