Deaf Pilot Sued over Accident

Jeffery Willoughby and his teenage daughter are suing a deaf pilot along with plane manufacturer Cessna for $1 million. Also named in the suit is Katama Airfield in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Willoughbys were passengers on a plane being flown into the airport by Alec Naiman, a member of the Deaf Pilots Association when it crashed leaving all three with serious injuries. Willoughby is himself an association member and because he lives in O'Fallon, Missouri, the case was filed in St. Louis. Willoughby blames the crash on the lack of communication between the Airfield and Naiman. A plane already on the runway forced Naiman to pull up too quickly. The pilot of the plane on the ground had tried to reach Naiman on the radio.