Aviation Case: Pilot's Lawsuit Results in $1.725 Million Jury Verdict

A Dallas County jury has awarded $1.725 million in damages to Daniel Filer in a lawsuit stemming from a 2023 aviation incident. The verdict, reached in September 2026, followed a trial in the 14th Judicial District Court.

Filer was represented by attorneys Jackson Smith of Lyons & Simmons and Austin Smith of Steckler Wayne. The case involved the crash of a single-engine MiG-23 jet during the Thunder Over Michigan Airshow on August 13, 2023.

According to court filings, Filer was the pilot-in-command, with defendant Mark Ruff serving as an observer. The lawsuit alleged that Ruff initiated an ejection sequence against Filer's direction, leading to both occupants ejecting and the aircraft crashing unmanned near a residential building.

The jury determined that Filer was not negligent and awarded the damages. Jackson Smith stated that the case involved unique aviation issues and expressed gratitude for the jury's consideration of the evidence.