Minnesota Jury Awards $16.4M To Families Of Cirrus Aircraft Plane Crash Victims

A Minnesota jury recently awards $16.4 million to the families of two Grand Rapids men who were killed in a Cirrus Aircraft plane crash in 2003. The families alleged that Cirrus failed to provide adequate training to the pilot as part of the purchase agreement – the lack of which led to their deaths.

Wrongful death lawsuit

This Minnesota wrongful death case involved two men who were flying a Cirrus SR-22 four passenger plane. According to an article in the Star Tribune, Gary Prokop purchased the plane from Cirrus Aircraft and received training on how to operate it as part of the purchase agreement. Prokop was flying the plane with passenger Jim Kosak in 2003, but Prokop became “disoriented and lacked proficiency in using the plane’s autopilot system.” The plane crashed and killed both men.

Their families sued Cirrus and the University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation, a private flight training firm on the university campus, and alleged that the instruction the company provided was inadequate. Although Cirrus disagreed and said that overcast conditions were the real reason for the crash, the families’ MN personal injury attorney was able to prove to the jury that Prokop’s lack of training was primarily responsible for their deaths. A jury awarded the families $16.4 million – $9 million of which will be used to support Prokop’s wife and three children and $7.4 million which will be used to support Kosak’s wife and five children.

Have you been injured?

If you or a family member have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. An experienced attorney will be able to determine who might be responsible for your injuries and the damages for which you may be entitled.