A Coast Guard cutter searches for a crashed chartered floatplane near Mutiny Bay Monday afternoon in Freeland, Washington on August 5, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

A Coast Guard cutter searches for a crashed chartered floatplane near Mutiny Bay Monday afternoon in Freeland, Washington on August 5, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Floatplane operator sued over Whidbey Island crash

Representatives for the nine passengers killed are suing Northwest Seaplanes and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada.

By Paige Cornwell / The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — Representatives for the nine passengers killed in the seaplane crash off Whidbey Island are suing the flight’s charter operator and aircraft manufacturer, saying they are responsible for the victims’ deaths.

The three lawsuits, filed Tuesday in King County Superior Court, name Northwest Seaplanes and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, among other aviation entities, as defendants. The single-engine De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Turbine Otter that crashed was owned by Northwest Seaplanes and operated by Friday Harbor Seaplanes.

The pilot and nine passengers were killed Sept. 4, 2022, when the plane, en route to Renton from Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, plummeted into Mutiny Bay off Whidbey Island.

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Representatives for the estates of Lauren Hilty and her unborn son, Luca; Joanne Mera; Gabrielle Hanna; and Sandra Williams filed one wrongful death lawsuit. The complaint alleges the crash was “entirely preventable” and the aviation companies are liable for damages.

Representatives for Ross Mickel and his son Remy Mickel filed the second lawsuit and representatives for Rebecca and Luke Ludwig filed the third. Pilot Jason Winters was also killed in the crash.

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