Wellstone King Air Crash Victims Settle

Family members of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) and five other passengers who were killed in the October 25 crash of a King Air A100 reached a $25 million agreement with the charter company that operated the twin turboprop, averting a likely lawsuit against Aviation Charter of Eden Prairie, Minn. The King Air crashed during an approach in poor visibility (AIN, January, page 10). Besides Wellstone, also killed in the crash were his wife and a daughter, three of his staff members and the two pilots. An attorney for Aviation Charter confirmed the settlement but said it was not an admission of liability by the company. The NTSB has not yet concluded its investigation into this accident.