Passengers sue over plane that ‘crash landed,’ caught fire at Las Vegas airport
Updated October 22, 2024 - 4:35 pm
A lawsuit alleges that Frontier Airlines was negligent in failing to maintain a plane that “crash landed” and caught fire at Harry Reid International Airport this month.
The complaint, filed Monday on behalf of passengers, said that the plane was flying from San Diego to Las Vegas on Oct. 5 when, “without warning,” it “violently crash landed” on the runway at Reid. About 190 passengers were on board.
“The force of the crash was so strong that it caused the aircraft’s tires to explode and (its) landing gear to collapse resulting in the aircraft catching fire,” according to the complaint, which was filed in Clark County District Court.
The lawsuit said that Frontier had a duty to safely maintain and operate the plane but failed to do so.
“The October 5, 2024 crash landing was caused by Defendant’s failure to properly repair, inspect, maintain, and operate the aircraft in a reasonable and safe manner,” the complaint alleges.
Frontier said it does not comment on pending litigation.
In a statement, Steve Dimopoulos, whose firm filed the lawsuit, said the cause is “not clear.”
Eddie Frierson of San Diego and Alberto Cardos-Ramirez and Ana Figueroa-Cueva of Clark County are the plaintiffs in the suit.
They have experienced “emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of household services, lost wages, lost earning capacity, medical expenses, and future medical expenses,” the suit alleges.
An airport spokesperson previously said there were no reported injuries.
Before they were evacuated, the lawsuit said, the “traumatized and injured passengers were stranded inside the sweltering smoke-filled aircraft for nearly an hour.”
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.