Close X

McClellan Airport Accident Attorney

Contact Here.

Attorney Michael Rehm - (916) 233-7346

McClellan Airport (KMCC), located in the unincorporated community of McClellan Park approximately 10 miles north of downtown Sacramento, is a former U.S. Air Force base converted to civilian and mixed military use. The airfield supports general aviation, air cargo, firefighting air tanker operations, military training, and aviation maintenance businesses. McClellan is also the site of significant PFAS contamination from historical AFFF use during its decades as an active Air Force base. Attorney Michael Rehm represents people injured in aviation accidents at McClellan Airport and people harmed by PFAS contamination originating from the McClellan site.

Cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. The Sacramento regional overview is on the Sacramento aviation accident attorney page.

Aviation Operations at KMCC

McClellan Airport operates as an uncontrolled field (no operating control tower) under Class E airspace, meaning pilots self-announce on CTAF and separation is not provided by ATC. The absence of tower control places a heightened duty on individual pilots and operators to maintain situational awareness and follow see-and-avoid procedures. Air tanker and firefighting aircraft based at McClellan conduct low-altitude, high-workload operations during fire season. Maintenance and repair operations (MRO) facilities at McClellan service aircraft that subsequently operate throughout the region. Each operational category carries its own liability exposure when accidents occur.

Accident Claims at KMCC

Aviation accident claims at McClellan follow the same legal framework as other California airports. Negligence under Civil Code section 1714; negligence per se under Evidence Code section 669 for FAR violations; owner liability under Public Utilities Code section 21404; and product liability under Greenman v. Yuba Power Products, Inc. (1963) 59 Cal.2d 57 for component failures. MRO negligence — improper maintenance, missed airworthiness directives, incorrect repairs — is a recognized basis for liability when a maintenance error causes an accident.

PFAS Contamination at McClellan

McClellan Air Force Base used AFFF containing PFAS compounds extensively from the 1970s until base closure in 2001. PFAS contamination has been documented in soil and groundwater at and around the former base. The site is subject to ongoing environmental remediation under federal superfund authority. PFAS compounds — including PFOA and PFOS — are associated with serious health conditions including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, and immune system effects. Current contamination levels and the geographic scope of affected groundwater should be verified against current EPA site fact sheets before any specific claim is advanced.

PFAS Liability and the FTCA

PFAS contamination claims at McClellan can proceed against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. §§ 2671–2680) for government negligence in the use and disposal of AFFF, and against AFFF manufacturers under product liability doctrine. FTCA claims require an administrative claim filed with the appropriate federal agency within two years of the date the claim accrues. For latent PFAS diseases, accrual is governed by the discovery rule — the claim accrues when the claimant knew or should have known of the injury and its connection to PFAS exposure. The government may raise the discretionary function exception as a defense; whether it applies depends on whether the specific conduct involved policy-level judgment or operational execution.

Statute of Limitations

Personal injury claims against non-federal parties are subject to the two-year statute of limitations under CCP section 335.1. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit — tolling doctrines including the discovery rule may apply depending on the facts. Fatal accidents are governed by CCP section 377.60 (wrongful death) and section 377.30 (survival).

Related Pages

Attorney Michael Rehm represents McClellan Airport accident and PFAS contamination victims throughout Sacramento County and California on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (916) 233-7346 to arrange a free consultation.

The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.

Southern California Areas Served:

Phone: (619) 787-3456 Areas Served: San Diego, Vista, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, El Centro, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Clarita, Glendale, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona, Torrance, Pasadena, El Monte, Downey, West Covina, Norwalk, Burbank, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Temecula, Bakersfield, Clovis, and everywhere in between.

Bay Area Areas Served

Phone: (831) 431-0986 Areas Served: Santa Cruz, Aptos, Capitola, Watsonville, Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, Carmel, San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, Livermore, Concord, Richmond, Walnut Creek, Antioch, San Rafael, Novato, San Jose, Morgan Hill, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Napa, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Fairfield, Vallejo, Vacaville, Dixon, Solano County, San Benito, Daly City, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Redwood City, Belmont, San Carlos, San Bruno, Pleasanton, Union City, San Leandro, Milpitas, Pittsburg, Danville, Rohnert Park and the entire Bay Area.

Northern California Office & Areas Served

2121 Broadway Unit 188860 Sacramento, CA 95818 Phone: (916) 233-7346 Areas Served: Sacramento, Elk Grove, Antelope, Citrus Heights, Carmichael, the friendly confines of Land Park, Folsom, Yolo, Woodland, West Sacramento, Davis, Placerville, South Lake Tahoe, Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills, Auburn, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Yuba City, Marysville, Wheatland, Colusa, San Joaquin County, Lodi, Manteca, Stockton, Tracy, Lathrop, Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale, Stanislaus County, Humboldt County, Arcata, Mckinleyville, Fortuna, Eureka, Butte County, Oroville, Paradise, Chico, Mendocino, Ukiah, Colusa, Shasta County, Redding, Calaveras, Yreka, Amador, Jackson, Lassen, Susanville, Plumas County, Quincy, Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Truckee, Lakeport, Sonora, Madera, Crescent City, Trinity, and all of Northern California.

LawLytics