SARASOTA - The families of three people killed when two small planes collided on a runway have settled lawsuits against the Federal Aviation Administration for $4.75-million.
Flight instructor Lori Lynn Bahrenburg's parents, Doug and Carol, received a $2-million award. Hannele Taubman, the widow of pilot Julius Taubman, received $1.4-million. Eunice Mouckley, David Mouckley's wife, received $1.35-million.
The widow of a fourth person killed in the March 9, 2000 accident at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, Shirley Heffner, settled for $1.4-million last year.
Controllers were found to be at fault for not keeping the two planes, which were on the same runway, far enough apart, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Controllers cleared both planes for takeoff at the same time. Taubman and Mouckley were piloting a Cessna 172 and taxied in front of a Cessna 152 piloted by Charles Heffner, who was being instructed by Bahrenberg. Heffner took off early trying to avoid a crash but dove into the larger plane. Flames engulfed both planes.
Controllers were using an informal system of keeping track of planes. It has since been amended.
