NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — With the recent rash of small plane crashes that have occurred — the most recent one in upstate New York — Keith Williams of the Keith Williams Law Group says that these private plane operators should take a more proactive approach to caring for their aircraft and checking for anything out of the ordinary. As for the most recent crash, Mr. Williams says it is too early to tell what happened.

On April 12, 2025 at approximately 12:06 p.m., a twin-engine, Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 transport plane left Westchester County Airport headed towards Columbia County Airport in Copake, New York, when it crashed into a field near Two Town Road, killing all six aboard. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot — who was not identified — overshot the runway. The air traffic controller tried three times to contact him and let him know of a low altitude alert, but was unsuccessful, the NTSB said.

The pilot, according to the NTSB, was very young and had his pilot’s license for a few years. The pilot had to rely on the instruments to navigate the aircraft which featured state-of-the-art avionics. The agency also noted the visibility worsened as the pilot approached their destination.

“It is difficult to determine at this time how much of it was pilot error,” Mr. Williams says. “Although this pilot had their license for a few years, it is hard to know if they had the experience to carry that many people onboard. So far, it looks like the plane was intact before the crash, so mechanical failure may not have played a role.”

In addition to his practice, Mr. Williams is the Past Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Aviation Litigation Section, and he is a member of the Aviation and Space Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Mr. Williams is also a member and past president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.