The family of a pilot killed in a plane crash while taking off in 2014 has filed a lawsuit. They have named the advertising company that hired him, the man who trained the pilot on behalf of the company, the air-traffic control company, the air traffic controller that gave the pilot clearance for take off and the banner company, as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that the pilot was killed as a direct result of a "dangerous pick and go" maneuver. This maneuver involves using a grappling hook to catch the end of a banner which then trails behind the plane. The advertising company's planes have been involved in at least five crashes involving banner towing since 1989. This incident was the company’s first fatality.
