[03-15-2024] Mendocino County, CA – Three People Injured Following Plane Crash in Whale Gulch

Three people were injured following a plane crash in Mendocino County on Friday afternoon, March 15, 2024.

According to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department, the incident occurred at about 1:15 p.m. around Whale Gulch, approximately one mile south of the Humboldt County line.

About five minutes after taking off in Shelter Cove, a Cirrus SR-22 single-engine aircraft suddenly lost power on the way to Santa Rosa’s Charles M. Schultz-Sonoma County Airport. Unable to restore the plane’s power, the pilot opted to use the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) to drift as safely as possible into the surrounding trees near Yellow Road.

Three people—a 38-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman, and a 2-year-old child—were inside the crashed aircraft, according to authorities. All of them sustained minor injuries following the incident.

No further details were available immediately. Investigations are underway.

Award-winning Plane Crash Attorneys in Mendocino County

The victims and families of those involved in plane crashes should receive full financial compensation. There is always a chance that your insurance will cover a disaster for which you were unprepared.

If you need assistance gathering the evidence necessary to file a claim for compensation following a plane crash, a lawyer specializing in aviation law can help. You can rely on our personal injury law firm in Mendocino County to assist you every step of the way!

Seek legal advice from our award-winning Mendocino County plane crash attorneys at Arash Law, headed by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., to help you with your insurance claim or represent you in court proceedings effectively. We have recovered more than $750 million for clients and are widely acknowledged for our success and reputation as one of California’s leading personal injury law firms.

Contact (888) 488-1391 or fill out the “Do I Have a Case?” form on our website to schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers.

What to Do After a Plane Accident in Mendocino County

The aftermath of a plane crash can be disorienting and traumatic for the victims. However, there are a few things that you need to do to protect your rights to financial compensation. Here are five things that you need to follow:

1. Remain calm and check yourself for injuries before checking on others. After that, look for a secure location near the scene of the accident.
2. Contact 911 and other authorities to inform them about the crash. They will create an official report, which will be helpful for your claim.
3. Obtain the contact details of everyone involved in the plane crash, including the witnesses. Include their names, phone numbers, and insurance information, and do not forget to photograph other potential evidence.
4. Contact your insurer and make a report. The statute of limitations may affect your claim if it’s not made as soon as possible.
5. Consult with a plane crash victim lawyer in California as soon as possible. They will make sure to process your claim smoothly and quickly.

If you’re having trouble securing the accident report from the authorities or an insurer keeps on calling you about the accident, our California plane crash lawyers can assist you in communicating with them.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

Fatal Plane Crash Statistics

The number of fatalities in commercial aviation accidents dropped by half in 2020, but 299 people died in catastrophic incidents. Mechanical failures, pilot blunders, corporate irresponsibility, disobedience to FAA laws, and so on are some of the human causes that might lead to a plane disaster.

There were 1,347 civilian aircraft accidents in the U.S. in 2018. There have been 1,302 reported mishaps in 2019. A total of 395 fewer individuals perished in plane crashes that year than the previous year.

Flying has undeniable benefits over driving, but accidents occasionally occur that put passengers at risk. Extreme weather, animal sightings, and unusual landing conditions are just some of the things that might go wrong during a flight.