Ladd is an FAA-licensed commercial airplane pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings as well as a licensed helicopter pilot. He has handled numerous crash cases around the globe, obtaining significant settlements for those injured or for the families that lost loved ones in a tragic accident.
In addition to his aviation practice, Ladd has prosecuted and tried as lead counsel products liability cases involving automobiles as well as catastrophic personal injury cases. He has litigated and tried cases in multiple jurisdictions in both state and federal court. Ladd is an AV®-rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, based on peer reviews for ability and integrity.
As an active member of the national aviation bar, Ladd was selected by the American Bar Association to be the 2016–2017 Chair of the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section’s Aviation and Space Law Committee. He also serves on the Board of Advisers for the SMU Air Law Symposium and is a past Chair of the Aviation Law Section of the American Association for Justice. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming.
FlightSafety International Inc. v. Dallas Airmotive, Inc.
On October 30, 2014, a Beechcraft King Air experienced a loss of power and control that resulted in a crash into the FlightSafety Incorporated (FSI) training facility in Wichita, Kansas, killing four people and injuring six others. The firm represents FSI for economic and property losses after the post-crash fire destroyed the FSI facility, burning the structure and its contents, which included flight simulators.
Lee Odekirk, et al. v. Dallas Airmotive, Inc., et al.
On August 24, 2008, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (TG-JES) operated by Aero Ruta Maya was carrying volunteers and missionaries to a remote area in Guatemala to finish building a school, when the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-44A engine suffered a catastrophic failure. The pilots attempted an emergency landing but crashed in a field. There were 14 persons on board, and only four survived the crash. Those who survived were seriously burned. The firm represented seven deceased and two surviving passengers, and successfully prosecuted the case against Aero Ruta Maya and Pratt & Whitney as well as a turbine engine maintenance facility located in Dallas, Texas. The lawsuits were resolved for amounts that were confidential but the total settlement remains one of the largest ever achieved for passengers on a chartered flight.
Prengle, et al. v. Fredricksburg Aviation
On May 16, 2016, a Beechcraft Bonanza A36TC departed from Tupelo Regional Airport in Tupelo, MS, in route to Williamsburg, KY. Shortly after departure, the pilot declared an emergency of an in-flight fire, advising that the aircraft needed to return to the airport. Tragically, the plane was unable to make it back to the airport and crashed in a wooded area about a half-mile north of the Tupelo Regional Airport runway. The pilot and three passengers were killed in the crash. Post-crash investigation revealed that an exhaust v-band clamp had failed and fallen off the plane during takeoff.
Engler v. Turbomeca
On January 2, 2013, an Airbus EC 130 helicopter owned and operated by Air Methods as an air ambulance experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff, and crash-landed in an open field near Seminole, OK, causing severe injuries to the passengers. The fuel tank ruptured as a result of the hard landing, covering all the occupants in jet fuel. Fortunately, the fuel did not ignite. The engine failure was caused by an aftermarket inlet barrier filter that created an area where water could freeze and subsequently be ingested into the engine. Slack Davis Sanger represented all of the passengers on the helicopter.
Hicks v. Blue Hawaiian
On January 17, 2016, an Airbus EC 130 helicopter operated by Blue Hawaiian experienced a sudden loss of engine power, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, injuring all six passengers. The main fuel injection line had broken, resulting in a loss of engine power. During the crash, the energy-absorbing seats failed to function properly, resulting in serious injuries to the passengers.
Nicholson v. Rico Aviation
On April 28, 2017, a Pilatus PC-12 air ambulance operated by Rico Aviation crashed shortly after take-off into a pasture about a mile south of the Amarillo airport. A post-impact fire ensued, and the pilot and two medical personnel were killed. The firm represents the family of a paramedic.
Estate of Robinett v. Estate of Kinikin
James Robinett was in an airplane piloted by Harvey Kinikin, Jr. Both men were killed when Mr. Kinikin attempted an unsafe, visual approach under weather conditions requiring a more sophisticated instrument approach. Slack Davis Sanger attorneys Ladd Sanger and Paula Sweeney represented the plaintiffs in the winning (unanimous) jury verdict, which was the #1 aviation verdict in Texas in 2012 in terms of the settlement amount.
Swies v.
On May 22, 2018, a Gulfstream G200 private jet skidded off the runway and into a ditch as it attempted to land at Toncontin International Airport in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. Despite the plane breaking in half as it crashed, the two crew members and four passengers all survived, suffering various levels of injury. The firm represents one of the passengers.
Swan & Cho v. Heligunner
On September 2, 2017, a Hughes 369A helicopter was conducting an aerial hog hunt operation when it experienced a loss of engine power before landing on Highway US 281 near Burnet, Texas. The firm represents two passengers who were injured in the crash.
