The family of Dana Hyde, a former Obama administration official, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that catastrophic pilot errors, not turbulence, caused the private jet incident in 2023 that resulted in her death. The lawsuit was filed Monday in a Massachusetts county court against Airshare, Bombardier, and the pilots involved.
Hyde, 55, died after a Bombardier Challenger 300 experienced sudden, violent vertical movements shortly after taking off from New Hampshire. Her husband, Jonathan Chambers, and teenage son were on board the flight headed for Virginia and witnessed the incident. The jet made an emergency landing in Connecticut, where Hyde was taken to the hospital with fatal injuries, including head trauma, spine fractures, and broken ribs.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board's report, the flight crew made a series of critical mistakes, including ignoring a warning message and using incorrect protocols when the situation arose. The board's findings also indicated that the aircraft did not experience any turbulence. The NTSB also noted that Hyde was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident.
Hyde served as counsel to the 9/11 Commission and held a senior position at the Office of Management and Budget under President Barack Obama. She was a mother of two and resided in Maryland.
"Dana Hyde’s violent death should not have happened, did not have to happen and must never happen again," said the family's lawyer, Anthony Tarricone. Chambers stated, "We’re bringing this case because Dana would have done the same for any other family, and we hope it ensures no one else has to."
The family is seeking unspecified damages. Bombardier has declined to comment, and Airshare did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
