Widow of Pilot Killed in Washington Crash Files Suit against Aircraft Companies

The wife of one of the men who died after a plane crashed into Washington’s Spokane River has filed a lawsuit against the companies that built and maintained the aircraft.

The Spokesman-Review reported that 60-year-old Lyndon Amestoy and the 64-year-old pilot, Richard Runyon, were killed in May 2015 shortly after taking off. Both men had been taking the Piper PA-46 350P on a post-inspection test flight after repairs had been made on the plane.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the plane’s cables that controlled banking and turning were improperly installed.

The suit filed this month alleges Piper Aircraft and Spokane-based JetProp LLC should’ve known the design of the airplane was flawed.

The two companies didn’t respond to requests for comment.