The family of a Canadian pilot killed when her Cessna Caravan crashed in downtown Winnipeg last year is claiming $25 million in damages from Cessna and Goodrich. The suit filed on behalf of the family of Nancy Chase-Allen by the Nolan Law Group, of Chicago, alleges Cessna is misrepresenting the ability of the Caravan to safely fly in icing conditions. “The Cessna Caravan is presently being marketed as a safe and secure aircraft for winter operations, a contention disputed by Nolan Law Group,” the law firm said in a news release. Operation of the Caravan in icing conditions attracted attention and produced action from the FAA earlier this year. We were unable to reach Cessna on the weekend but the company does not normally comment on pending litigation. Chase-Allen took off from Winnipeg International Airport early on the morning of Oct. 6, 2005, for Thunder Bay, Ont., and almost immediately asked for clearance back to the airport because the aircraft was icing up. It crashed on railway tracks near the city’s downtown and Chase-Allen was the only casualty. The Nolan Group is also representing the families of those involved in four other icing-related Caravan accidents in the U.S.
