Comair, families of crash victims reach deal

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge called off a trial Friday to hear lawsuits stemming from a 2006 plane crash that killed 49 people in Kentucky after family members and the airline reached settlements in most of the cases.

Mark Armstrong, chief deputy clerk for U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, confirmed the Monday trial was canceled. Details of the settlements have not been released.

The lawsuits claimed Comair was negligent because its pilots steered the plane in the pre-dawn darkness to the wrong runway, one that was too short for a proper takeoff. The jet hit trees and a perimeter fence before crashing in a farm next to Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport.

Families for the two crew members who died in the crash as well as the lone survivor, co-pilot James Polehinke, had filed their own suits against the federal government and other parties, but not against Comair. Those cases also haven’t been resolved, said Susan Baker, a court clerk handling the case.

“Since the day of the accident, Comair has committed itself to treating the passenger families fairly and respectfully,” Comair spokeswoman Kate Marx said. “It is comforting to come so far in this process and know we’ve honored our initial commitment.