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2 Texas Women File First Suit in Denver CrashSOURCE Two passengers on the Continental Airlines jet that veered off a Denver runway last month have filed what appears to be the first lawsuit in the crash. Melissa Craft, 25, and Emily Pellegrini, 21, both of Texas, claim in their lawsuit that the pilot "negligently aborted" the Dec. 20 flight shortly after takeoff. The Houston-bound jet veered off the Denver International Airport runway and into a ravine, where it caught fire. The flight was carrying 110 passengers and five crew members; 37 people were injured. Aviation safety experts have said strong crosswinds likely were a factor in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate. The complaint names Continental and two of its pilots. Continental spokeswoman Julie King called the allegations in the suit premature. "Since the facts of the accident are still being investigated, the allegations are premature. We're prepared to defend the company's actions and those of our crew," King said. Jason A. Gibson, an attorney for the two women, alleges airline officials have been trying to hint that wind shear might be responsible for the crash when pilot error was the more likely cause. "Continental knows what happened. They have access to all the records. They have access to the pilots," Gibson said. "Continental's already putting a spin on things."   |