KC firm settles deadly plane crash in North Carolina

A $15 million settlement concluded the case of a 42-year-old woman and four teenagers who died in a North Carolina plane crash while returning from a hunting trip.

“We concluded that the pilot just became spatially disoriented, basically lost himself in the clouds,” said Andrew C. Robb of Robb & Robb in Kansas City, which represented the families of Noah Lee Styron, Michael Daily Shepherd, Jacob Nolan Taylor and Jonathan Kole McInnis, all aged 15-17, as well as the estate of decedent Stephanie Fulcher, McInnis’ mother.

The February 2022 accident, which took place in poor weather conditions along the Outer Banks, killed everyone onboard, including pilot Ernest “Teen” Durwood Rawls. Robb alleged the pilot became confused due to low visibility while flying the Pilatus PC-12.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet reached a definitive cause of the crash, though its preliminary report noted that the craft went into a steep climb as radar contact was lost.

“We believe that the airplane experienced a vertical assent-induced stall,” Robb said. “Basically, what it means is that you are climbing straight up, and the engine power is not strong enough to sustain a completely vertical assent so the airplane essentially falls out of the sky.”

He said that was consistent with a case of spatial disorientation as is the pilot’s lack of acknowledgement of a tower warning that he had, at one point, crossed into restricted military airspace. Robb said the plane did correct its course and left the forbidden area before the crash.

He said no emergency was ever declared onboard and there were no problems in maintenance records indicating a mechanical failure. Although transmissions to and from the tower were available, black box data was not yet released.

The settlement covering all five cases was reached with the plane’s co-owners, EDP Management Group LLC and Green Assets Inc. James Strawinski, an attorney for the defendants, did not return a message requesting comment.

RELATED: Click to search for and submit your Verdicts & Settlements

$15 million settlement (out of state)

Wrongful death

Venue: Superior Court of North Carteret County, North Carolina

Case Numbers/Date: 22-CV-443, 22-CV-444, 22-CV-445, 22-CV-446, 22-CV-698

Caption: Estate of Stephanie Fulcher, Estate of Noah Lee Styron, Estate of Michael Daily Shepherd, Estate of Jacob Nolan Taylor and Estate of Jonathan Kole McInnis v. EDP Management Group LLC, Green Assets Inc. and Estate of Ernest “Teen” Durwood Rawls

Plaintiffs’ Attorney: Andrew C. Robb, Robb & Robb, Kansas City

Defendants’ Attorney: James Strawinski, Strawinski & Stout, Atlanta