Dickens v. United States

RONEY, Circuit Judge:

The Government appeals a $1,250,000 wrongful death judgment entered by the district court, sitting without a jury, under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Plaintiffs’ decedent was killed in a private airplane which crashed while attempting to land at Austin, Texas. The claim is based on the alleged negligence of a Government aircraft controller in failing to warn the pilot of the possible existence of wake turbulence created by an immediately preceding jet aircraft landing. The major thrust of the Government’s appeal contests the findings of fact of the trial court. Both…