Some lawsuits filed by families of those killed in 2009 Buffalo, NY, crash are settled

Some settlements in deadly Buffalo, NY, crash

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Families of at least five passengers killed in a plane crash near Buffalo, N.Y., last year have reached settlements with the airlines involved.

Lawyers for other passengers’ families said Wednesday that more settlements are likely before the wrongful death cases go to trial in March 2012. The terms of the settlements are confidential.

Lawyers say 39 lawsuits have been filed since Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed on Feb. 12, 2009. They name Continental, Pinnacle Airlines and Pinnacle’s Colgan Air subsidiary, which was operating the flight.

Lawyers for the families want the cockpit voice recording released, but the airlines object. A federal judge is expected to rule on that issue within a month.

All 49 people on the plane and a man on the ground were killed.