Ernest Merkelis, 62, killed in small plane crash near Clayton, Georgia
Modified Date:
Mon, 06/19/2017 - 2:50pmAccident Date:
Friday, July 25, 2014Pilot killed in Rabun Co. plane crash identified
Merkelis was the lone occupant on the plane. The director of Rabun County's Emergency Management Agency, Mike Mazarky, said the plane crashed Saturday morning after taking off from a private airport west of Clayton.
Pilot killed in small plane crash identified
The pilot was identified as Ernest Merkelis, 62, of Clayton, according to the coroner. The plane carried no other passengers.
The Rabun County coroner has identified the pilot killed when his small plane crashed in northeast Georgia over the weekend. The director of Rabun County's Emergency Management Agency, Mike Mazarky, said the plane crashed Saturday morning after taking off from a private airport west of Clayton. The pilot was identified as Ernest Merkelis, 62, of Clayton, according to the coroner. The plane carried no other passengers. Investigators at the Federal Aviation Administration were expected at the crash scene on Monday.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
Type: Aircraft Accident
People Involved:
Ernest Merkelis
City:
Clayton, GACounty:
Rabun County, GAArea:
Atlanta, GA
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