Silk Air Flight 185

Flight Number

185

Date of Crash

19/12/1997

Location of Crash

Palembang, Indonesia

On December 19, 1997, a Silk Air Boeing 737 unexplainably went out of control during flight and crashed near Palembang, Indonesia. All onboard perished. Boeing immediately claimed the Singaporean pilot had committed suicide. Boeing found an ally in the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which supported the Boeing suicide theory. However, Wisner Law Firm and the other plaintiffs’ attorneys refused to accept this explanation. Floyd Wisner and others first defeated a motion by Boeing to transfer the case to Singapore or Indonesia, a move that would have effectively allowed Boeing to escape all responsibility. After an extensive independent investigation and an extremely difficult 8-year battle with the defendants, Floyd Wisner and the other plaintiffs’ attorneys were able to establish that the crash was caused, not by an intentional act by the pilot, but by a defect in the aircraft’s power control unit. Wisner obtained confidential multi-million dollar settlements for his Singaporean, Japanese, and Austrian clients. These settlements are believed to be the highest ever paid to non-Americans in the crash of a foreign airline.

Find out more about our Aviation Attorneys

Floyd-Wisner-Wisner-Law-Aviation-Lawyer

Floyd Wisner

The founder of Wisner Law Firm, Floyd A. Wisner, is approaching his 38th year in the practice of law. He is a skilled veteran aviation attorney who has successfully represented clients in virtually every major airline and aviation disaster over the last two decades.

     Read More
Alexandra M. Wisner | Aviation Attorney

Alexandra Wisner

Alexandra M. Wisner is an aviation attorney that focuses her practice on complex product liability and claims brought under the Montreal Convention. Since joining Wisner Law Firm, P.C. in July 2014, Alexandra has served as co-counsel with the aviation attorney Floyd A. Wisner on an array of aviation litigation & law matters.

     Read More

Were you involved in this aircraft accident?

Wisner Law Firm’s aviation attorneys fights for those who have been injured or suffered the loss of a loved one in an airplane disaster or crash. Our aviation law firm is committed to helping its clients achieve their goals of determining the cause of the crash, identifying the responsible parties and holding them accountable, obtaining the payment of fair and just compensation, promoting air safety and effecting change so that such tragedies do not recur.

Contact an Aviation Attorney

Call us on (630) 262-9434

Our attorneys specialize in wrongful death and personal injury actions arising from aviation disasters that have occurred both domestic and abroad. The only plaintiff’s firm in Illinois that devotes its practice exclusively to aviation law and litigation.