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Napa Aviation Accident Attorney

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Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

Aviation Accidents at Napa County Airport

Napa County Airport (APC), operated by the County of Napa, is a general aviation airport serving wine country with flight training, corporate aviation, agricultural operations, and a significant commercial hot air balloon industry. The airport sits in the Napa Valley, a narrow agricultural corridor flanked by hills that channel wind and create localized weather phenomena. The NTSB has investigated seven fatal accidents in the Napa area since 1982, with eleven fatalities, and eight serious-injury accidents. The serious-injury record is shaped significantly by the balloon industry — four separate NTSB investigations on a single day in 1990 involve hot air balloon accidents attributed to microburst weather conditions.

Attorney Michael Rehm represents people injured in aviation accidents at Napa County Airport and throughout the Napa Valley. The Napa aviation record encompasses commercial balloon operations, instrument approach failures, agricultural aviation, and terrain-related crashes — each involving different defendants and different liability frameworks.

NTSB Accident Record at Napa County Airport

The following is drawn from the NTSB's CAROL accident database and represents historical investigation records only.

The highest single-event fatality in the Napa record is March 1994, in which a Piper PA-32R-301T crashed killing three (NTSB Accident Report No. LAX94FA157). The NTSB found the pilot selected an en route descent altitude profile inadequate to clear terrain along the route — a terrain avoidance failure. An April 2004 Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 crash (LAX04FA165) killed two after the NTSB found the pilot failed to maintain control following a propeller shutdown on one engine. An August 2009 Cessna 182S crash (WPR09FA385) killed one after the NTSB found the instrument-rated pilot lost situational awareness and failed to follow the published approach procedure. A January 1988 Piper PA-28 crash (LAX88FA082) killed two from loss of control in IFR conditions while maneuvering.

The August 7, 1990 balloon accident cluster is the most unusual entry in the Napa record. On a single day, the NTSB investigated four separate hot air balloon accidents, each attributed to the balloon's encounter with a probable microburst weather phenomenon with downdrafts and winds beyond aircraft performance capability (NTSB Accident Report Nos. LAX90LA277, LAX90LA278, LAX90LA279, LAX90LA280). Each accident resulted in at least one serious injury. A 2009 Cameron Balloons A-250 accident (WPR10CA058) resulted in one serious injury to a passenger after the pilot encountered variable winds causing a hard landing. Multiple additional balloon serious-injury accidents are documented in the Napa record across the 1990–2011 period.

Liability at Napa County Airport

County of Napa as Airport Operator

Napa County Airport is operated by the County of Napa, a public entity. Claims against the County for dangerous conditions at the airport are governed by Government Code § 835. The County is vicariously liable for the acts of its employees under Government Code § 815.2. Claims against Napa County require a government tort claim under Government Code § 911.2 within six months of the incident. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit. Tolling may apply — contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.

Commercial Balloon Operator Liability

Napa Valley is home to multiple commercial hot air balloon sightseeing operations. A balloon operator conducting revenue sightseeing flights is a common carrier under Public Utilities Code § 2100, held to the utmost care and diligence standard under Public Utilities Code § 2101. The 1990 microburst cluster demonstrates that weather is not automatically an exculpatory defense for a commercial balloon operator. The question is whether the operator had access to weather information indicating the hazard, whether the flight should have launched given that information, and whether the operator's weather decision-making met the utmost care standard. Passengers on commercial balloon flights who sustain serious injuries in hard landings, unexpected descents, or collisions have claims against the operator.

Terrain and Instrument Approach Failures

The dominant pattern in the Napa fixed-wing fatal record is terrain-related crashes on approach or during IFR flight. Published instrument approach procedures for Napa County Airport exist because the valley terrain requires specific adherence to prescribed altitude and course. A pilot who deviates from published approach procedures in IMC and strikes terrain has violated 14 C.F.R. § 91.175, evidence of negligence per se under California Evidence Code § 669.

Filing Deadlines for Napa Aviation Claims

The personal injury statute of limitations is two years under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Claims against Napa County require a government tort claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Missing the six-month deadline can potentially bar a claim. Tolling may apply depending on the facts.

Related Pages

Attorney Michael Rehm represents aviation accident victims in Napa and throughout California on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 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.

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