Blog Post


MECHANICAL PROBLEM LIKELY CAUSE OF FATAL HELICOPTER CRASH

Posted by: Joseph S. Stacey
May 29, 2008
Topic: Injury at Sea

Weather has been ruled out as a factor in the April 15 helicopter crash that killed three Alaska state employees and their pilot. The state Department of Administration employees were servicing telecommunications towers in the Sheep Mountain area of Alaska when their helicopter went down and crashed into the side of a steep ravine.

Thomas Middleton, Joseph O'Donnell, Michael Seward, and their pilot Benoit Pin were all pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Seward's 14-year-old stepson, Quinn Ellington, survived the crash and an entire Alaskan night trapped in the downed helicopter in freezing conditions. A blizzard prevented rescue searchers, which launched around noon on the 15th, from reaching the crash site until 7:30 the following morning. According to his father Michael Ellington, Quinn Ellington sustained a broken arm and a slight head injury in the crash.

Victims of helicopter crashes such as these may be entitled to penalties including pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, and other damages. This is especially true in cases involving pilot error or, as in this case, mechanical error. If you or a loved one has been in a helicopter crash, be sure to find out about your rights under the law. Contact experienced lawyers Beard Stacey Trueb & Jacobsen for a free consultation about your potential case, or visit our website for more information.



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