Parents of
Helitour Crash Victim Receive $100 Million
Airbus,
Papillon agree to nine-figure settlement in 2018 Grand Canyon helitour accident
© Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
By MARK HUBER • Contributor -
Rotorcraft
January 10, 2024
A Nevada judge has approved a $100 million
settlement for the parents of a passenger killed from injuries resulting from a
Feb. 10, 2018 Grand Canyon helitour crash. Jonathan Udall sustained burns to
more than 90 percent of his body and died in the hospital 12 days after the
accident.
The Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters Airbus
EC130B4 crashed in rugged terrain near Quartermaster Canyon in the Hualapai
Nation in Arizona, three miles east of the Grand Canyon West Airport. All seven
aboard survived the initial impact, but three of the six passengers aboard died
in the post-crash fire, and another two later died of burn-related injuries.
The pilot and one passenger survived.
According to the NTSB, the probable cause of the
accident was “a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, the pilot’s loss of
helicopter control, and collision with terrain during approach to land in
gusting, tailwind conditions in an area of potential downdrafts and
turbulence.” Winds at the accident site were forecasted at up to 55 mph, high
enough to delay extraction and transport of the survivors into early the next
morning.
Under the settlement terms, Airbus Helicopters
will pay $75 million and helicopter operator Papillon will contribute $24.6
million.
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