Suit Filed in Airline Death of 9/11 Spokesperson

NEW HAVEN (CN) - Beverly Eckert, who became a spokeswoman for victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in which her husband died, was killed in the Feb. 12 crash of Continental Airlines 3407 near Buffalo. Now Eckert's sister has sued the airline for the crash that killed everyone on board. Eckert was flying to Buffalo, her hometown, to celebrate what would have been her husband's 58th birthday.

Margaret Eckert, executrix of her sister's estate, sued Colgan Air, Pinnacle Air, and Continental Airlines, in Federal Court.

Margaret Eckert, claims the plane was on autopilot when its wings ice up not far from the Buffalo-Niagara airport, which caused the plane to slow and stall.

Beverly Eckert was a co-chairwoman of the 9/11 Family Steering Committee, a group of victims' relatives who looked into government failures before the attacks. Eckert supported the work of the 9/11 Commission, and after its recommendations were released, she urged Congress to adopt its findings.

Just six days before she died, Eckert and a group of victims' relatives met with President Barack Obama to discuss the handling of terrorism suspects. Eckert's estate is represented Joel Faxon.

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