Aviation Accident Investigations: What to Expect

Making Sense of the Chaos and Standing Strong 

The hours after an airplane or helicopter crash don’t feel real. Sirens. Headlines. Unanswered calls. 

Federal agents show up, investigators swarm the site, and families are left waiting for information that trickles out in pieces. You’re told an “investigation is underway,” but that doesn’t help when you’re grieving, scared, or sitting in a hospital bed.

Our personal injury attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, help victims and families understand what’s happening and what comes next. We handle complex accident investigations throughout New York, and we also serve New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. 

Every state has its own legal standards, but federal investigations follow national rules. We bridge both worlds, translating the technical into human terms while protecting your right to compensation.

If you’re dealing with the aftermath of an aviation accident, reach out to our team at (855) 465-4622. We’ll walk you through the process, explain the agencies involved, and make sure no one writes your family out of the story.

How Aviation Investigations Actually Work

Most aviation accidents in the U.S. are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with help from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The NTSB’s role is finding why an accident happened, not deciding who’s liable. That’s where your civil claim comes in.

Here’s how it typically unfolds: federal teams arrive within hours. They secure the wreckage, collect black boxes, and interview witnesses. Within days, preliminary findings start taking shape. But full investigations can take months, or even years, before a final report is published.

During that time, airlines, manufacturers, and insurers are doing their own investigations, often to limit blame. That’s why having your own legal team involved early matters. We monitor the process, preserve independent evidence, and make sure your claim isn’t boxed out by corporate spin.

The Key Stages of an Aviation Investigation

You don’t have to guess what’s coming next. Aviation investigations follow a detailed sequence that determines how facts are gathered and shared.

• Scene preservation and data recovery. Wreckage, flight data recorders, and cockpit voice recorders are secured for analysis. This step is all about control—who gets access, and who doesn’t.
• Fact-gathering and interviews. The NTSB collects statements from pilots, crew, maintenance personnel, and witnesses. We request parallel access where possible to preserve firsthand accounts.
• Laboratory analysis. Black box data, mechanical components, and maintenance logs go through technical testing to identify defects, fatigue, or system malfunctions.
• Public docket and reports. Eventually, the NTSB releases documents, photos, and summaries online. These can shape your case, but they don’t determine liability.
• Final report. The NTSB issues its official findings, often months later, naming probable causes and contributing factors. Your legal team then uses that foundation to pursue negligence claims.

It’s a long road. We stay on it with you, step by step.

What Your Lawyer Does During the Investigation

You’re not just waiting on the government to finish its paperwork. Your lawyer plays an active role—gathering proof, connecting experts, and keeping your claim alive while the investigation unfolds.

• Preserving evidence early. We send preservation letters to airlines, manufacturers, and maintenance contractors before evidence disappears or gets “lost.”
• Independent expert review. Our team works with former FAA engineers, mechanics, pilots, and human-factors specialists who analyze data in real time instead of waiting months for reports.
• Monitoring agency activity. We track NTSB and FAA updates, participate in press briefings, and cross-reference findings with our own research.
• Protecting your right to sue. Federal reports can’t always be used directly in court. We collect parallel evidence so your case stands even if official findings are delayed.

You deserve control, not confusion. Our job is to make sure the process moves without leaving you behind.

Why Early Legal Action Matters

You can’t hit pause while the feds work. Evidence disappears. Wreckage is moved. Witnesses scatter. And airlines start building defenses immediately. The sooner you take legal action, the stronger your case becomes.

In New York, you generally have three years under CPLR Section 214(5) to file a personal injury claim and two years under EPTL Article 5-4.1 for wrongful death. But that’s just the baseline. 

Other states—New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine—have their own timelines, and when federal entities like the FAA are involved, the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) shortens deadlines even further.

We act fast. Preservation orders, data requests, expert involvement—it all starts within days, not months. You’ll know what’s happening, who’s responsible, and how we’re moving to protect your rights from day one.

What You Can Expect from the NTSB and FAA

The NTSB doesn’t work for you. It works for safety. That distinction matters. Their job is to prevent future crashes, not to get you compensation. But their findings still carry weight.

• NTSB reports as evidence. While final reports aren’t admissible in court, the factual portions—photos, transcripts, data—often are. We use them to prove negligence.
• FAA enforcement actions. If an airline, pilot, or mechanic violated regulations, FAA sanctions can strengthen your civil case.
• Public docket access. Once released, we cross-check government records against our evidence to fill gaps and confirm responsibility.
• Limitations on participation. Families and attorneys can’t interfere with official investigations, but we can run ours in parallel. That’s where results happen faster.

You’ll get updates from us in plain language—what the agencies found, how it affects your claim, and what comes next.

How We Buld a Parallel Investigation

While the government focuses on prevention, we focus on accountability. A private investigation digs into the “who” and “why” behind every missed inspection, rushed takeoff, or broken part.

• Technical reconstruction. Aviation engineers rebuild flight paths and mechanical sequences to pinpoint where the failure began.
• Human factors review. Experts examine pilot training, decision-making, and fatigue to identify errors that fed into the chain of events.
• Maintenance audits. We trace inspection cycles, part replacements, and service histories to expose skipped procedures.
• Corporate oversight. Emails, scheduling records, and budget reports reveal when cost-saving replaced safety.

By the time the government report arrives, our New York Attorneys already know what it’ll say and usually more.

What Compensation Can Cover After an Investigation

Once fault is established, your claim shifts to damages—the tangible and intangible losses that negligence caused. Compensation can include:

• Medical care and long-term treatment. Hospital stays, surgeries, therapy, rehabilitation, and adaptive equipment—all priced with life-care planners to ensure future coverage.
• Lost wages and earning potential. Aviation injuries or fatalities affect families for years. We calculate full earning capacity, benefits, and career projections.
• Pain, suffering, and psychological trauma. Fear of flying, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and grief belong in your damages story. These are real losses under state law.
• Wrongful death compensation. Families can recover funeral costs, lost support, and the value of household services under EPTL Article 5-4.1 and similar statutes across the states we serve.

Your claim should reflect the full cost of what was taken, not just what was billed.

From Investigation to Accountability

When an aviation accident happens, investigations can feel like black holes—slow, bureaucratic, and distant. But behind the reports and regulations, your story still matters. You deserve answers that mean something.

Our aviation and airplane accident attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, help clients turn federal findings into action. We gather evidence, confront agencies and corporations, and fight for fair compensation. 

When you’re ready to move forward, contact our office to schedule your free case review. We’ll help you understand the investigation, claim your rights, and start rebuilding with confidence. Because you can’t change what happened, but you can change what happens next.