NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Queens, NY, March 9, 2025: A lawsuit filed in Queens Supreme Court alleges that the March 2023 plane crash on Long Island, which killed 63-year-old Roma Gupta and severely injured her daughter, 33-year-old Reeva Gupta, was “entirely preventable” and resulted from gross negligence by the flight school and its parent company.
According to the lawsuit, filed on February 28, 2025, the Piper PA-28 aircraft, operated by 2 BA Pilot NYC and Danny Waizman Aviation, had a history of mechanical issues, including smoke in the cockpit just weeks before the fatal crash. The lawsuit claims that despite these warning signs, the company failed to conduct necessary repairs.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation revealed that an electrical short circuit likely triggered an in-flight fire that compromised the aircraft’s oil pressure line, leading to the crash. “Former instructors reported that when they raised concerns about the smoke, Waizman ‘brushed it off by jokingly laughing and saying ‘don’t worry, it’s not a big deal,'” according to the New York Post.
Reeva Gupta, who miraculously survived the crash, suffered burns on over half of her body, underwent multiple amputations, and spent six weeks in a medically induced coma. The lawsuit argues that Waizman Aviation’s failure to address prior mechanical issues directly led to the tragedy.
The pilot, 23-year-old Fayzul Chowdhury, initially survived the crash but later succumbed to his injuries. The lawsuit alleges that had the aircraft been properly maintained, the crash and subsequent deaths could have been avoided.
The lawsuit seeks to hold the defendants accountable for their alleged negligence and ensure stronger safety measures in aviation. “My mother’s death and my suffering could have been prevented,” Gupta stated in a legal filing. “No one else should have to endure this nightmare.”
The case is ongoing, and neither Waizman Aviation nor 2 BA Pilot NYC has commented publicly on the lawsuit.
