# Randy Dorton's wife sues HMS over plane crash



## Keith48 (Feb 8, 2006)

I hope she is not lying about her motives. That would be very sad if she was...



*Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash - lawuit filed:* The wife of one of the people who died in the Hendrick plane crash has filed a new lawsuit that places partial blame for the crash on John Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports. Those allegations come from Diane Dorton, who claims Hendrick's desire to get to the race on time may have contributed to the deaths of the ten people in that crash. In a claim she filed on behalf of husband Randy Dorton she claims there were a sequence of events leading up to the crash that could have been avoided. She also claims that they could have also chosen not to go at all. Randy Dorton called Diane on the morning of October 2, 2004. The conversation involved Randy's delay flying to the Subway 500 race in Martinsville. Randy built engines for NASCAR and for Hendrick race teams. Dianne said Randy told her he was supposed to fly by helicopter, but the helicopter was grounded due to bad weather. They'd fly in a Hendrick Motorsports plane instead. Randy waited in the Hendrick hangar for more than an hour. He called Dianne and told her he didn’t think they'd go. He called 47 minutes later and said "we're going." It's not clear who gave the go order for the trip. It's an alleged conversation between pilot Richard Tracy and Hendrick Motorsports president John Hendrick that's part of a negligence and misconduct lawsuit against Hendrick Motorsports.
The suit claims Tracy proposed flying to Danville instead of the Blue Ridge airport due to the weather and that Hendrick said that option was unacceptable because they'd be too far from the track and late for the race. Danville is farther away from the track than Blue Ridge. "He told us that and I feel certain that he would stay by what he said," said David Burgess, Dianne Dorton's attorney. Burgess said the grounded helicopter pilot was part of that conversation and could be called to testify. A separate lawsuit against Hendrick Motorsports alleges at least 27 other planes aborted landings at Blue Ridge due to weather. Diane said the lawsuit isn't about money. She said it's about finding the truth about what happened to Randy, what happened onboard the plane, addressing accountability and making future airplane travel safer for her friends in NASCAR. 6NEWS asked Hendrick Motorsports for their side of this story. They refused, saying they can't talk about a legal matter.(wncn.com)(2-7-2006)


*NTSB: Flight crew error led to Hendrick plane crash that killed ten:* The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has ruled that flight crew error is the probable cause of the plane crash near Martinsville than killed ten people in October 2004. The NTSB ruled today the crew failed to properly execute the published instrument approach procedure at Blue Ridge Airport [VA]. The Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed into the side of Bull Mountain in Patrick County after attempted a landing at the airport. All ten people aboard were killed, a loss felt across the entire NASCAR family. Investigators say navigational confusion involving the plane's GPS readings led the crew to approach the airport well above the typical altitude and descend to landing altitude almost seven miles past the airport. At that point, the plane began to climb, and had it turned to the right instead of remaining on a generally straight course, it still would have avoided Bull Mountain. Such a right turn is the standard missed approach procedure employed at the airport. The plane was attempting to bring members of the Hendrick family and company employees for that day's race at Martinsville Speedway.(wdbj7.com)(2-7-2006)


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## dutchman (Feb 8, 2006)

Of course it's about money. These things always are.


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## Woody's Janitor (Feb 8, 2006)

dutchman said:
			
		

> Of course it's about money. These things always are.


Sad but true.


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## short stop (Feb 8, 2006)

Sad  Randy did so much for that organization --and after his death  HMS still carried his name proudly ---terrible loss to Nasacr community ''not just Randy but the others as well''  --its a shame to see things go sour in the end . Draggin everybody thru court  wont bring them back .


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## Arrow3 (Feb 8, 2006)

Very Sad....It was a bad situation but like short stop said, it won't bring any of them back...


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## specialk (Feb 9, 2006)

i don't feel like it would be about money.  you have to believe that dorton would be worth millions being high up in hendricks operation, plus you know he would likely have lots of life insurance.  maybe some bad blood between his wife and those at hendricks???   then again it could be about money......


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