Lawsuit filed by family for Camden County plane crash

In Camden County, Missouri, the family of a 19-year-old who tragically passed away in a plane crash two years ago is taking legal action seeking compensation. Court records indicate that Gary and Penny Vandiver from Richmond are suing Timothy McDuffey from Osage Beach for wrongful death, personal injuries, and loss of companionship in Camden County Circuit Court. The lawsuit states that the Vandivers are the parents of Evan Vandiver, who lost his life in a plane crash on July 13, 2023. The legal filing details that on the day of the incident, Hayden Ritchhart, a relative of Timothy McDuffey, invited Evan and Gary Vandiver on a sightseeing flight in a 1969 Piper PA-28-140 single-engine aircraft that departed from Gland Glaize Airport in Osage Beach. Ritchhart was piloting the plane with Gary in the front right seat and Evan in the rear left seat. The crash occurred during takeoff when the aircraft had an upward angle causing a decrease in airspeed, leading to a descent that ended in impact approximately 0.55 miles from the departure. Unfortunately, both Evan Vandiver and Hayden Ritchhart lost their lives in the crash, while Gary Vandiver survived with injuries. The legal document accuses Ritchhart of negligence and failure to exercise proper care as a pilot. It also highlights the severe and permanent injuries sustained by Gary Vandiver as a result of Ritchhart's actions, and mentions the harm and damages experienced by Penny Vandiver due to her husband's injuries. Summons have been issued for the lawsuit.