Though plane crashes typically get more news coverage, helicopter accidents are occurring at an alarming rate. In fact, in less than two months, several crashes took the lives of too many people and left even more with serious injuries. Families of the victims may file helicopter accident lawsuits. If you have ever wondered about the safety of helicopter travel, consider some recent events.
Recent Helicopter Crashes
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Feb.10, 2018 – A tour helicopter with six passengers and a pilot crashed in the Grand Canyon, killing three and leaving four more needing treatment at the scene for level 1 trauma. The Eurocopter EC130 sustained heavy damage in the fiery crash, and the cause remains unknown.
March 11, 2018 – Five passengers died when the helicopter they chartered for a photo tour crashed into the East River. The pilot survived the crash and reported that a strap from a safety harness may have wrapped around the fuel shut off lever causing engine failure. Investigators determined that harnesses used to keep passengers from falling out during doors-off flights may have trapped them and prevented their escape from the crash.
March 16, 2018 – Seven die when U.S. Military helicopter crashes in Iraq after hitting power line. The HH-60 Pave Hawk went down near the town of Qaim in Iraq’s western Anbar province. The names of the service members killed were being withheld at the time of this writing.
March 21, 2018 – Two U.S. tourists were killed in a helicopter crash near the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. The couple was taking a tour in a chartered helicopter to a sightseeing pontoon stationed along the reef approximately 40 miles north of Whitsunday Islands. Two other U.S. passengers and the pilot survived the crash with minor injuries.
April 3, 2018 – Four U.S. Marines were killed during a routine training mission when the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter they were in crashed near the Mexican border by Mexicali. The Marine Corp. and the Navy are investigating the crash.
Lawsuits Are Filed
Parents of one of the victims killed in the March 11 NYC Helicopter crash have filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court against the pilot, Liberty Helicopters who owned the AS350 chopper, and FlyNYON who chartered the helicopter tour. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of failing to provide safe services and a safe and proper aircraft, operating in a reckless or careless manner, failure to properly perform emergency procedures, and specifically accuses the pilot of failing to take reasonable steps to free his passengers after his own release was secured.
After learning more details about the accident during an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the family added more defendants to the complaint, including Airbus Helicopters and Dart Aerospace, alleging the companies made unsafe components, including a malfunctioning emergency floatation system, and unguarded fuel levers. When the Liberty Helicopter crashed, the floatation system appeared to have inflated more on one side than the other, and the craft rolled over before sinking.
Anyone who is severely or fatally injured in a helicopter crash caused by negligence may have rights that allow them to seek justice and compensation for their injuries and losses. If you were injured or if you lost a loved one in a helicopter crash, contact us today to learn more about your rights and whether you are eligible to seek significant financial compensation.
