Recruitment Stunt by Case Western University Fraternity Results in Plane Crash, Wrongful Death Suit
The parents of a Case Western University student have sued several parties they are claiming were responsible in their son’s wrongful death.
18-year-old Abraham Pishevar, along with three others, was killed in a plane crash on August 25, 2014, during a recruitment attempt by the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.
The 20-year-old Michael Felten was piloting the plane when it crashed, killing both Pishevar and himself, as well as passengers Lucas Marcelli and John Hill.
The Cessna Model 172R airplane which they were flying was rented at the T&G Flying Club in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, by its owner, Laurence Rohl.
Determining Aviation Accident Liability
According to the attorney for Phisevar’s family, Jordan Lebovits, both the fraternity and T&G Flying Club shared responsibility in their son’s death by not following the proper safety protocols.
Felten, the suit alleges, was reckless while piloting the plane, and had Zeta Beta Tau overseen the recruitment stunt, should have deemed him an unsafe pilot. However, they did not oversee the activity, and instead encouraged members of the fraternity to “engage in dangerous, reckless and/or negligent activities in order to further ZBT’s recruitment goals,” according to Lebovits.
T&G Flying Club and Laurence Rohl also displayed negligence, the suit alleges, through relaxed maintenance of the plane, and that they should have been aware of Felten’s shaky nighttime flying skills.
A jury trial has been called for by Pishevar’s family, who are seeking damages that are not yet specified.
Pishevar was attending the University on a full scholarship, and was killed on the first day of school.
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