The older brother of a Chatham man who was killed in the 2004 Pelee Island plane crash was surprised with the jury's verdict, which was handed down late Friday night.
Paul Brisco, who lives in London, said he was taken aback that air carrier Georgian Express or the other defendant Owen Sound Transportation weren't punished for their negligence in connection to his brother Bob's death.
Paul and the Bob Brisco estate were seeking $6 million in damages but only ended up getting $345,000, most of which will come from the estate of pilot Wayne Price. He was looking to make Georgian Express pay $4 million and Owen Sound Transportation pay $1 million but no punitive damages were awarded against either.
Paul also said he was previously offered a bigger personal settlement but had to turn it down because it meant abandoning the claim from Bob's estate.
Paul said he feels Georgian Express should have paid for their mistakes.
"We just think that Georgian should have got a great big public slap as opposed to otherwise," Paul said.
Paul said he's glad the entire ordeal is behind him and that the truth was revealed.
"The most important thing to us all along was that the truth that was behind this accident come out and that has at least been accomplished," he added.
Paul said it was a rough 15 plus years but he's glad he won't be on the hook for any legal fees.
"We really thought the evidence showed that Georgian Air had a lot lacking in their strive for perfection, as they put it," Paul said.
Paul's brother Bob and nine others were killed when their Cessna plunged into icy Lake Erie at 150 miles an hour during their annual hunting trip.
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) concluded the plane was overweight and covered with ice when it took off in freezing rain. The TSB also said the pilot was stressed and tired.
During the three week civil trial, the court also heard how dangerous the small plane industry is.
