The Nashville-based company said Wednesday that the name change, to "RegionsAir," came as the result of a desire to "eliminate confusion for vendors and customers."

Company President Doug Caldwell said "many airline companies have names similar to ours."

But lawyers for at least one of the crash victims called into question that reasoning, noting that lawsuits against the company have raised many questions about the safety of the British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft it flies.

“It is interesting that following the crash, the airline chose to spend its money to change its identity rather than remedy its numerous operational deficiencies that compromised safety,” said Don Nolan, who has filed a lawsuit against the company on behalf of the estate of Judith Diffenderfer, a Los Angeles osteopath killed in the crash.

Caldwell noted that the name change was in the works months before the crash.

"It's a process that started in the summer and has gone various speeds as we've tried to get Web site domains, FAA paperwork and those kinds of things," Caldwell said.

Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 crashed while approaching the Kirksville Regional Airport on Oct. 19. Clark Ator, an osteopath from Alpine, was among those killed.

Two other Utahns were the only survivors.

mlaplante@sltrib.com