Virgin Records and Blackhawk International Airways are among the companies accused of negligence in a lawsuit filed late Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Aaliyah’s mother and father.
Michael and Diane Haughton allege that the companies’ carelessness led to the death of the R&B singer, who was killed in a twin-engine plane crash after a video shoot in the Bahamas for “Rock the Boat”.
An investigation determined that the Cessna 402B, which was operated by Blackhawk and chartered by Virgin, was close to 700 pounds over its maximum weight when it crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all nine people on board. A separate report revealed that the plane’s pilot, Luis Morales III, had pleaded no contest to cocaine possession less than two weeks before the fatal crash and was not authorized to fly.
A similar suit was filed in February by the families of fellow passengers Eric Foreman and Anthony Dodd. Both were members of Aaliyah’s entourage and crew.
Barry Hankerson, Aaliyah’s uncle and CEO of her record label, Blackground, was unavailable for comment, as were Virgin’s spokesperson and Blackhawk’s lawyer.
