DENVER—The wreckage of a corporate jet that crashed at Pueblo’s airport must be retained as evidence pending trial of a lawsuit, a judge ruled Friday.
U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer also ordered the preservation and protection of the Cessna Citation C-560’s cockpit voice recorder tape, the Pueblo Chieftain reported.
He issued the orders at the joint request of the litigants in two lawsuits filed by widows of two of the eight victims. jet wreckage and the tape are evidence.
The widows are suing Cessna Aircraft Co., Martinair Inc., the Virginia company that operated the plane; Goodrich Corp., maker of deicing equipment for Cessna planes; and the federal government, which employed the air traffic controllers who were on duty at the airport.
Cessna alleges the crash was caused by the negligence of the flight crew. Martinair denies any negligence.
A trial of one of the lawsuits is set for next May 15.
