Papillon ship down in Grand Canyon - $38 million settlement
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Papillon ship down in Grand Canyon - $38 million settlement
Sincere condolences to the family members and colleagues of everyone affected by this terrible accident.
Tour copter crashes near Grand Canyon; 6 dead, 1 hurt
Associated Press
Aug. 10, 2001
MEADVIEW, Ariz. - A helicopter out of Las Vegas crashed this afternoon near the western edge of the Grand Canyon, killing six people, according to the FAA. A seventh person was seriously injured.
The AS350 helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances at 2:35 p.m, said Jerry Snyder, an FAA spokesman in Los Angeles. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
About 15 people, some crying and hugging, gathered in the lobby of Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters at McCarran International Airport, where the trip originated.
"They are in an incredible state of shock," said Rabbi Felipe Goodman, of Temple Beth Sholom of Las Vegas. "They're trying to put together and see what's next."
Pat Mallen, a representative of the company, said company officials were too busy to talk.
The helicopter went down in a rugged area 5 miles east of Meadview, which is about 70 miles east of Las Vegas, said Mohave County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Johnson. The crew reported the crash.
The crash site was located on Bureau of Land Management land and was difficult to get to, National Park Service spokesman Bert Byers said. "Only the hardiest of four-wheel-drive vehicles would be able to get in there," he said.
Byers said a Park Service plane was monitoring the crash site and at least one helicopter from the state Department of Public Safety had taken emergency personnel to the crash site.
In April 1999, another sightseeing helicopter owned by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters crashed near Tusayan, south of the Grand Cayon, killing the pilot.
Tour copter crashes near Grand Canyon; 6 dead, 1 hurt
Associated Press
Aug. 10, 2001
MEADVIEW, Ariz. - A helicopter out of Las Vegas crashed this afternoon near the western edge of the Grand Canyon, killing six people, according to the FAA. A seventh person was seriously injured.
The AS350 helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances at 2:35 p.m, said Jerry Snyder, an FAA spokesman in Los Angeles. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
About 15 people, some crying and hugging, gathered in the lobby of Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters at McCarran International Airport, where the trip originated.
"They are in an incredible state of shock," said Rabbi Felipe Goodman, of Temple Beth Sholom of Las Vegas. "They're trying to put together and see what's next."
Pat Mallen, a representative of the company, said company officials were too busy to talk.
The helicopter went down in a rugged area 5 miles east of Meadview, which is about 70 miles east of Las Vegas, said Mohave County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Johnson. The crew reported the crash.
The crash site was located on Bureau of Land Management land and was difficult to get to, National Park Service spokesman Bert Byers said. "Only the hardiest of four-wheel-drive vehicles would be able to get in there," he said.
Byers said a Park Service plane was monitoring the crash site and at least one helicopter from the state Department of Public Safety had taken emergency personnel to the crash site.
In April 1999, another sightseeing helicopter owned by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters crashed near Tusayan, south of the Grand Cayon, killing the pilot.
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Collective Bias
Have a good read of the press release above your post - it says AS-350.
From the look of the TV footage showing the wreck the passenger that survived deserves to win the damm lottery. Wasnt much left of the machine.
Condolences to all at Papillon. I was in Hawaii a couple of weeks ago and Blue Hawaiian had their first anniversary come around for their fatal. Sombre moment for all.
Pac Rotors
Have a good read of the press release above your post - it says AS-350.
From the look of the TV footage showing the wreck the passenger that survived deserves to win the damm lottery. Wasnt much left of the machine.
Condolences to all at Papillon. I was in Hawaii a couple of weeks ago and Blue Hawaiian had their first anniversary come around for their fatal. Sombre moment for all.
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NTSB findings inconclusive regarding cause of 2001 Grand Canyon wreck
LAS VEGAS SUN
A National Transportation Safety Board report released Wednesday described the pilot flying a helicopter that crashed in a ball of flames near the Grand Canyon in 2001 as both gifted and as frightening passengers.
The report also quoted the lone survivor as saying the helicopter's engines did not seem to be operating moments before the crash, which killed pilot Kevin Innocenti of Henderson and five passengers.
The board has not issued a final report and the results from preliminary investigations of the past two years are inconclusive, NTSB investigators said.
The helicopter, operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters of Las Vegas, was on a sightseeing flight through the Grand Canyon when it crashed on Aug. 10, 2001, near Meadview, Ariz., 60 miles east of Las Vegas. The crash occurred about 4,040 up the 5,500-foot Grand Wash Cliffs in a steep mountainous area covered with brush, hard dirt, loose rocks and Joshua trees, a preliminary report said.
The lone survivor, Chana Daskal, 25, a mother of two from New York, told paramedics, "It got quiet and fell from the sky," according to the NTSB preliminary report. Daskal was pinned under the burning tail section.
Asked, "Was the engine running?" Daskal replied, "No, not at the end," and then added, "It got quiet," the report said.
Daskal is suing Papillon and the maker of the helicopter, American Eurocopter.
In addition to Innocenti, David Daskal, Shayie Lichenstein, Avi and Barbara Wajsbaum and Aryeh Zvi Fastag, all of Brooklyn, were killed.
Innocenti's pilot's license was in good standing and he had no record or accidents or discipline, Federal Aviation Administration officials said.
According to report documents released in Washington on Wednesday, Michael Bashlor, Papillion's general manager of the Grand Canyon South Rim Base and former director of maintenance, said he was told Innocenti was the best pilot on the base.
"The mechanics said that Kevin was the only pilot that they felt comfortable with on test flights," according to Bashlor's documented interview.
Scott Raymond Ritter, another Papillon pilot called Innocenti "a gifted pilot who had a touch." He said Innocenti appears normal and that he was confident and very knowledgeable about the aircraft, according to the report. Ritter spoke to him the morning of the crash but did not notice anything out of the ordinary.
"The entire staff thought highly of Kevin," according to Ritter's interview in the report. "He was always outgoing and wore a smile, a charismatic kind of guy."
Ritter later saw smoke from the downed helicopter during his own tour flight and landed to help.
Other details said the company did not receive any complaints about the pilot.
Patrick E. Mellen of Papillon Helicopters said in a letter to the NTSB that the wreckage was damaged so severely that is it unlikely a cause of the accident will be found.
But Mellen said he believed the aircraft lost its hydraulics, making it impossible for Innocenti to steer. The Eurocopter AS350 has a history of hydraulic failure, he said. Since 1995 a total of 13 accidents have been caused by hydraulic loss.
In September 2000 a Japanese company sold the helicopter to a New Zealand company as scrap after it was damaged in a hard landing caused by a typhoon. The helicopter was repaired in New Zealand and the aircraft was sold to Papillon in April 2001.
The Federal Aviation Administration certified the helicopter for use on Aug. 2, 2001, a week before it crashed.
LAS VEGAS SUN
A National Transportation Safety Board report released Wednesday described the pilot flying a helicopter that crashed in a ball of flames near the Grand Canyon in 2001 as both gifted and as frightening passengers.
The report also quoted the lone survivor as saying the helicopter's engines did not seem to be operating moments before the crash, which killed pilot Kevin Innocenti of Henderson and five passengers.
The board has not issued a final report and the results from preliminary investigations of the past two years are inconclusive, NTSB investigators said.
The helicopter, operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters of Las Vegas, was on a sightseeing flight through the Grand Canyon when it crashed on Aug. 10, 2001, near Meadview, Ariz., 60 miles east of Las Vegas. The crash occurred about 4,040 up the 5,500-foot Grand Wash Cliffs in a steep mountainous area covered with brush, hard dirt, loose rocks and Joshua trees, a preliminary report said.
The lone survivor, Chana Daskal, 25, a mother of two from New York, told paramedics, "It got quiet and fell from the sky," according to the NTSB preliminary report. Daskal was pinned under the burning tail section.
Asked, "Was the engine running?" Daskal replied, "No, not at the end," and then added, "It got quiet," the report said.
Daskal is suing Papillon and the maker of the helicopter, American Eurocopter.
In addition to Innocenti, David Daskal, Shayie Lichenstein, Avi and Barbara Wajsbaum and Aryeh Zvi Fastag, all of Brooklyn, were killed.
Innocenti's pilot's license was in good standing and he had no record or accidents or discipline, Federal Aviation Administration officials said.
According to report documents released in Washington on Wednesday, Michael Bashlor, Papillion's general manager of the Grand Canyon South Rim Base and former director of maintenance, said he was told Innocenti was the best pilot on the base.
"The mechanics said that Kevin was the only pilot that they felt comfortable with on test flights," according to Bashlor's documented interview.
Scott Raymond Ritter, another Papillon pilot called Innocenti "a gifted pilot who had a touch." He said Innocenti appears normal and that he was confident and very knowledgeable about the aircraft, according to the report. Ritter spoke to him the morning of the crash but did not notice anything out of the ordinary.
"The entire staff thought highly of Kevin," according to Ritter's interview in the report. "He was always outgoing and wore a smile, a charismatic kind of guy."
Ritter later saw smoke from the downed helicopter during his own tour flight and landed to help.
Other details said the company did not receive any complaints about the pilot.
Patrick E. Mellen of Papillon Helicopters said in a letter to the NTSB that the wreckage was damaged so severely that is it unlikely a cause of the accident will be found.
But Mellen said he believed the aircraft lost its hydraulics, making it impossible for Innocenti to steer. The Eurocopter AS350 has a history of hydraulic failure, he said. Since 1995 a total of 13 accidents have been caused by hydraulic loss.
In September 2000 a Japanese company sold the helicopter to a New Zealand company as scrap after it was damaged in a hard landing caused by a typhoon. The helicopter was repaired in New Zealand and the aircraft was sold to Papillon in April 2001.
The Federal Aviation Administration certified the helicopter for use on Aug. 2, 2001, a week before it crashed.
Gatvol
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Certainly a bad ending to a tragic accident. The shock of losing folks on a fun tour was felt by all of us who fly that area.
Worse now is the term "Inconclusive" which translates to the Buzzards on the fence who will now be picking at the legal aspects as to who gets what from where. The tragedy continues.
Worse now is the term "Inconclusive" which translates to the Buzzards on the fence who will now be picking at the legal aspects as to who gets what from where. The tragedy continues.
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NTSB report
Heres the report, although it seems that the news article has more information on the cause of the crash.
Heres the report, although it seems that the news article has more information on the cause of the crash.
Avoid imitations
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Tragic event.
Bashlor's statement that "The mechanics said that Kevin was the only pilot they felt comfortable with on test flights" seems a bit strange.
Bashlor's statement that "The mechanics said that Kevin was the only pilot they felt comfortable with on test flights" seems a bit strange.
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My condolences to the families of those who died. The survivor filing suit against Eurocopter and Papillon before a cause of the crash is really known raises my eyebrow, though.
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NTSB press release
As part of its continuing investigation into the crash of a Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter (N169PA) in Meadview, Arizona on August 10, 2001, the National Transportation Safety Board will open a public docket and release a series of factual reports on Wednesday, August 6, 2003 at 10:00 am.
The helicopter, operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, carrying six passengers and the pilot, was on a sightseeing flight through the Grand Canyon when it collided with mountainous terrain about 4 miles east of Meadview, Arizona. Six people died in the crash. One passenger survived but sustained serious injuries.
The information to be released is factual in nature and does not provide any analysis or statement of cause. It will include investigative group reports in the following areas - Maintenance, Powerplants, Operations, and Structures.
Additional material will be added to the docket as it becomes available. Analysis of the accident, along with conclusions and a determination of probable cause, will come at a later date when the final report on the investigation is completed.
For news media representatives, a CD-ROM containing the docket material will be available from the Office of Public Affairs, NTSB Headquarters (6th floor), 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC, beginning at 10:00 a.m., on Wednesday, August 6, 2003. Docket material also can be obtained from the NTSB's Public Inquiries Branch by calling (202) 314-6551 or from General Microfilm, Inc. (301) 929- 8888.
source
The helicopter, operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, carrying six passengers and the pilot, was on a sightseeing flight through the Grand Canyon when it collided with mountainous terrain about 4 miles east of Meadview, Arizona. Six people died in the crash. One passenger survived but sustained serious injuries.
The information to be released is factual in nature and does not provide any analysis or statement of cause. It will include investigative group reports in the following areas - Maintenance, Powerplants, Operations, and Structures.
Additional material will be added to the docket as it becomes available. Analysis of the accident, along with conclusions and a determination of probable cause, will come at a later date when the final report on the investigation is completed.
For news media representatives, a CD-ROM containing the docket material will be available from the Office of Public Affairs, NTSB Headquarters (6th floor), 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC, beginning at 10:00 a.m., on Wednesday, August 6, 2003. Docket material also can be obtained from the NTSB's Public Inquiries Branch by calling (202) 314-6551 or from General Microfilm, Inc. (301) 929- 8888.
source
PPRuNe Time
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BlenderPilot I'm curious about the source of that. It seems to be a private website, but even going to the homepage, it doesn't give much away. Is it for real? How did you come across it?
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Timeout, I searched the web for "Chana Daskal" the only survivor
Apparently its true the pilot's familiy is being sued, also the mechanic and others.
Also found THIS
A very interesting fact is that the helicopter had been crashed in Japan, then sold for SCRAP and rebuilt in New Zeland, then sold to Papillon, where it crashed a few days after being imported from NZ.
I wonder if the company in NZ is also getting sued?
Apparently its true the pilot's familiy is being sued, also the mechanic and others.
Also found THIS
A very interesting fact is that the helicopter had been crashed in Japan, then sold for SCRAP and rebuilt in New Zeland, then sold to Papillon, where it crashed a few days after being imported from NZ.
I wonder if the company in NZ is also getting sued?
Last edited by BlenderPilot; 21st Nov 2003 at 02:15.
This probably ought to be a separate thread...
Out of curiosity, I went to www.nickmojave.com and read some of this nitwit's "insights." It appears that any 22 year-old idiot with a penchant for whining can be a "writer" these days.
Nick "Mojave" (not his real name, of course) is an avowed ex-Mormon who thinks he is very, very clever, as do most "general interest" or Opinion Page writers. At one time he claimed to be a vegetarian, but that phase must have passed quickly. In one of his boring diatribes against his local baseball team, he mentions buying chicken fingers and french fries. Someone ought to tell him that most places in the U.S. fry such foods in animal fat. At best, it makes him horribly ignorant. At worst it makes him a hypocrite/poseur. So there ya go.
He also hates the Pledge of Allegiance. It offends him. He thinks it forces religion on him, particularly that "under God" part.
It doesn't matter what YOU think, Nicky. The country you live in (the U.S.) was formed with an expressed and explicit belief in an almighty power which the founders called "God." Sure, there is freedom of religion in the U.S. You can even not believe in a God if you choose. But if you don't like the fact that your government is God-based, then you're free to leave.
His rant about Chana Daskal is way off-base. He gets quite livid about Ms. Daskal naming the pilot in her lawsuit. He calls her:
Wow. That's pretty extreme...until we remember that these words are from a know-nothing 22 year-old college student with few credentials as a social commentator. I can think of a few adjectives I might apply to Mr. Mojave. "Greedy bitch" wouldn't even come close.
Aircraft rarely just fall out of the sky for no reason at all. They are rarely smote by the hand of God. When they crash, it's usually due to something very much within someone's control. Maybe the engine quit. Maybe the pilot was doing something he shouldn't have been. Maybe the crash was caused by the previous hard-landing/rebuild that the Astar went through. We just don't know.
Ms. Daskal is quite correct to sue everyone who ever saw or touched that helicopter...and yes, sorry to say, including the pilot. If it can be determined that the pilot was not at fault, then the court may issue a summary judgement and dismiss her case against him. Will his estate have to defend his name and his actions in court? Why, yes. But are we absolutely certain that the actions of the pilot played no part whatsoever in the accident? Why, no. Not at this time. And that is the risk we take as professional pilots: Our actions sometimes haunt us from beyond the grave.
In a perfect world, the proper investigating body would do their thing, figure out what was wrong, and then assign blame where it is warranted. But we don't live in a perfect world. Lawyers help us probe beyond the "official" accident report, which may or may not be conclusive. And if it is not, should we just shrug and walk away? According to Mr. Mojave, that is what Chana Daskal should do even before the official cause is announced.
And that's just stupid.
But then, what do we expect from some kid who was raised in the desert (Las Vegas), but in 1998 goes to Spain and stays out on the beach in the hot sun all day with no sunscreen. Needless to say, he got lobster-ized.
Reading other such gems from his website tell us all we need to know about this windbag. A genius, he ain't.
Nick "Mojave" (not his real name, of course) is an avowed ex-Mormon who thinks he is very, very clever, as do most "general interest" or Opinion Page writers. At one time he claimed to be a vegetarian, but that phase must have passed quickly. In one of his boring diatribes against his local baseball team, he mentions buying chicken fingers and french fries. Someone ought to tell him that most places in the U.S. fry such foods in animal fat. At best, it makes him horribly ignorant. At worst it makes him a hypocrite/poseur. So there ya go.
He also hates the Pledge of Allegiance. It offends him. He thinks it forces religion on him, particularly that "under God" part.
I think it's useless, watered-down, outdated, over-traditional, and it offends me because I don't know whether or not there's a God.
His rant about Chana Daskal is way off-base. He gets quite livid about Ms. Daskal naming the pilot in her lawsuit. He calls her:
...a greedy bitch who isn't satisfied with being alive, who is suing because she can't come to terms with the idea that accidents happen and they're beyond anyone's control.
Aircraft rarely just fall out of the sky for no reason at all. They are rarely smote by the hand of God. When they crash, it's usually due to something very much within someone's control. Maybe the engine quit. Maybe the pilot was doing something he shouldn't have been. Maybe the crash was caused by the previous hard-landing/rebuild that the Astar went through. We just don't know.
Ms. Daskal is quite correct to sue everyone who ever saw or touched that helicopter...and yes, sorry to say, including the pilot. If it can be determined that the pilot was not at fault, then the court may issue a summary judgement and dismiss her case against him. Will his estate have to defend his name and his actions in court? Why, yes. But are we absolutely certain that the actions of the pilot played no part whatsoever in the accident? Why, no. Not at this time. And that is the risk we take as professional pilots: Our actions sometimes haunt us from beyond the grave.
In a perfect world, the proper investigating body would do their thing, figure out what was wrong, and then assign blame where it is warranted. But we don't live in a perfect world. Lawyers help us probe beyond the "official" accident report, which may or may not be conclusive. And if it is not, should we just shrug and walk away? According to Mr. Mojave, that is what Chana Daskal should do even before the official cause is announced.
And that's just stupid.
But then, what do we expect from some kid who was raised in the desert (Las Vegas), but in 1998 goes to Spain and stays out on the beach in the hot sun all day with no sunscreen. Needless to say, he got lobster-ized.
Reading other such gems from his website tell us all we need to know about this windbag. A genius, he ain't.
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I don't know who's worse . . . . . .
"Chana Daskal" for suing the estate of a dead pilot with a 7 year old girl and a wife, to satisfy a need for revenge or greed.
Paplillon, which to save a few thousand dollars, purchased a helicopter that had been sold for scrap and then rebuilt, with lots of potential for bad publicity, with so many good 350's around.
Nick Mojave for being so weird
Or PF1, who is supposedly from within the industry, and implies that suing the dead pilot's estate is the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry this kind of thinking just set aviation one step back.
The causes of the crash will probably never be known and it its completely unfair to sue everybody involved, and cause harm to someone you don't even know for a fact had anything to do with it.
Paplillon, which to save a few thousand dollars, purchased a helicopter that had been sold for scrap and then rebuilt, with lots of potential for bad publicity, with so many good 350's around.
Nick Mojave for being so weird
Or PF1, who is supposedly from within the industry, and implies that suing the dead pilot's estate is the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry this kind of thinking just set aviation one step back.
The causes of the crash will probably never be known and it its completely unfair to sue everybody involved, and cause harm to someone you don't even know for a fact had anything to do with it.
Last edited by BlenderPilot; 22nd Nov 2003 at 03:29.
The guys in NZ do good work with these Jap "wrecks".
A hard landing in Japan sold as salvage is hardly a writeoff.
For example:
I worked with a firm that bought a written off A109 that had thumped and compressed the tail completely.
The NZ engineer that worked on this tail un-compressed this tail and hand fabricated a complete new tail using the old one as a template. It was, and remains the most impressive piece of engineering I have ever seen on an aircraft. He is an artist.
Some of the kiwi drivers might know of this guy. For the life of me I cannot remember his name (thou it is on the tip of my tongue...) In 1997 he was working out of New Plymouth for Brett Emeny and had injured himself previously falling off the wing of that warbird amphib out of Auckland.
Regardless, I would wager the aircraft was structurally sound and well repaired.
A hard landing in Japan sold as salvage is hardly a writeoff.
For example:
I worked with a firm that bought a written off A109 that had thumped and compressed the tail completely.
The NZ engineer that worked on this tail un-compressed this tail and hand fabricated a complete new tail using the old one as a template. It was, and remains the most impressive piece of engineering I have ever seen on an aircraft. He is an artist.
Some of the kiwi drivers might know of this guy. For the life of me I cannot remember his name (thou it is on the tip of my tongue...) In 1997 he was working out of New Plymouth for Brett Emeny and had injured himself previously falling off the wing of that warbird amphib out of Auckland.
Regardless, I would wager the aircraft was structurally sound and well repaired.
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Dear Steve,
So many things can go wrong with helicopters, their bodies and parts are usually under so much stress that I would really hate to have to fly in one that has been crashed and repaired. I don't doubt the guys in NZ are great at rebuilding crashed machines, its just if I had company that whenerever there is an accident it becomes a really high profile matter, I would not risk purchasing a crashed helicopter just to save money, the report says the engine was developing power at the time of the accident, it all points to a loss of control and we will probably never know what caused the problem.
In our hangar we have what used to be Harrison Ford's Long Ranger, (you can see a pic in my webpage) its a beautiful machine, it has autopilot and a bunch of goodies, BUT it has been wrecked the dude himself and I steer clear of flying that thing.
There is a good reason damaged helis are much cheaper than their healthy counterparts.
So many things can go wrong with helicopters, their bodies and parts are usually under so much stress that I would really hate to have to fly in one that has been crashed and repaired. I don't doubt the guys in NZ are great at rebuilding crashed machines, its just if I had company that whenerever there is an accident it becomes a really high profile matter, I would not risk purchasing a crashed helicopter just to save money, the report says the engine was developing power at the time of the accident, it all points to a loss of control and we will probably never know what caused the problem.
In our hangar we have what used to be Harrison Ford's Long Ranger, (you can see a pic in my webpage) its a beautiful machine, it has autopilot and a bunch of goodies, BUT it has been wrecked the dude himself and I steer clear of flying that thing.
There is a good reason damaged helis are much cheaper than their healthy counterparts.
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It would be an interesting survey to undertake showing just how many helicopters out there have had some sort of accident or incident and been rebuilt.
Anyone have any guesses as to the percentage.
Autorotate.
Anyone have any guesses as to the percentage.
Autorotate.
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Newsday June 3, 2004, 7:25 PM EDT
LAS VEGAS -- Federal investigators say pilot error caused a Grand Canyon tour helicopter crash that killed six people and badly hurt a seventh, most of them from New York City.
A National Transportation Safety Board report issued Thursday said the probable cause of the Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopter crash in August 2001 was the pilot's decision to descend too fast and too close to a scenic cliff near Meadview, Ariz.
The maneuver "effectively limited any remedial options" before impact, the report said.
One of several passengers interviewed about previous flights with the same pilot called the trip "frightening and thrilling at the same time," the report said.
Papillon Airways issued a statement in Las Vegas disputing the report and stressing its 38 years in business. It said it will seek more meetings with investigators.
"Papillon has been a party to this accident investigation, and our preliminary conclusions are not consistent with those of the NTSB," said Brenda Halverson, company president and chief executive.
Safety board spokeswoman Lauren Peduzzi in Washington, D.C., declined additional comment on the report.
The pilot, Kevin Innocenti, 27, of Henderson, and five of six sightseers from New York died in the Aug. 10, 2001, crash about 60 miles east of Las Vegas.
The sole survivor, Chana Daskal, 28, suffered a broken back and burns over 85 percent of her body. A mother of two from Brooklyn, she was left paralyzed from the waist down, and her left leg and right foot were amputated.
Her lawyer, Gary Robb, of Kansas City, Mo., said she would not comment on the NTSB report.
Daskal's husband, David Daskal, and traveling companions Shayie Lichtenstein, Avi and Barbara Wajsbaum and Aryeh Zvi Fastag, all of Brooklyn, were killed.
The NTSB reported no evidence of a mechanical malfunction before the American Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter crashed and burned in steep terrain about 600 yards below the rim of the scenic Grand Wash Cliffs.
The helicopter had refueled at the Grand Canyon West Airport near Meadview, and was headed back to Las Vegas when it crashed. The report said it appeared the engine stopped when the rotor hit the cliff wall.
Papillon, based in Grand Canyon, Ariz., faces several lawsuits, including a civil case filed by Daskal in Clark County District Court.
Robb praised the thoroughness of the 47-page report, but said he wanted his own mechanics to determine whether the engine malfunctioned before the crash.
Daskal told rescuers immediately after the crash that the helicopter "got quiet and fell from the sky."
Her lawsuit alleges pilot error and a faulty engine, and also names the pilot's estate and American Eurocopter Corp. and Turbomeca Engine Corp., two manufacturers of helicopter and engine parts in Grand Prairie, Texas; and Zuni LLC, a Washington-based helicopter retailer. No trial date has been set, Robb said.
The crash was the deadliest canyon tour accident since 1995, when a plane crashed while trying to return to Grand Canyon Airport, killing eight people.
Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS -- Federal investigators say pilot error caused a Grand Canyon tour helicopter crash that killed six people and badly hurt a seventh, most of them from New York City.
A National Transportation Safety Board report issued Thursday said the probable cause of the Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopter crash in August 2001 was the pilot's decision to descend too fast and too close to a scenic cliff near Meadview, Ariz.
The maneuver "effectively limited any remedial options" before impact, the report said.
One of several passengers interviewed about previous flights with the same pilot called the trip "frightening and thrilling at the same time," the report said.
Papillon Airways issued a statement in Las Vegas disputing the report and stressing its 38 years in business. It said it will seek more meetings with investigators.
"Papillon has been a party to this accident investigation, and our preliminary conclusions are not consistent with those of the NTSB," said Brenda Halverson, company president and chief executive.
Safety board spokeswoman Lauren Peduzzi in Washington, D.C., declined additional comment on the report.
The pilot, Kevin Innocenti, 27, of Henderson, and five of six sightseers from New York died in the Aug. 10, 2001, crash about 60 miles east of Las Vegas.
The sole survivor, Chana Daskal, 28, suffered a broken back and burns over 85 percent of her body. A mother of two from Brooklyn, she was left paralyzed from the waist down, and her left leg and right foot were amputated.
Her lawyer, Gary Robb, of Kansas City, Mo., said she would not comment on the NTSB report.
Daskal's husband, David Daskal, and traveling companions Shayie Lichtenstein, Avi and Barbara Wajsbaum and Aryeh Zvi Fastag, all of Brooklyn, were killed.
The NTSB reported no evidence of a mechanical malfunction before the American Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter crashed and burned in steep terrain about 600 yards below the rim of the scenic Grand Wash Cliffs.
The helicopter had refueled at the Grand Canyon West Airport near Meadview, and was headed back to Las Vegas when it crashed. The report said it appeared the engine stopped when the rotor hit the cliff wall.
Papillon, based in Grand Canyon, Ariz., faces several lawsuits, including a civil case filed by Daskal in Clark County District Court.
Robb praised the thoroughness of the 47-page report, but said he wanted his own mechanics to determine whether the engine malfunctioned before the crash.
Daskal told rescuers immediately after the crash that the helicopter "got quiet and fell from the sky."
Her lawsuit alleges pilot error and a faulty engine, and also names the pilot's estate and American Eurocopter Corp. and Turbomeca Engine Corp., two manufacturers of helicopter and engine parts in Grand Prairie, Texas; and Zuni LLC, a Washington-based helicopter retailer. No trial date has been set, Robb said.
The crash was the deadliest canyon tour accident since 1995, when a plane crashed while trying to return to Grand Canyon Airport, killing eight people.
Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press
Gatvol
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Sadness continues. It appears folks are getting ready to make the Buzzards flap their wings for money. The lawyers are picking at the bones for sure.
Many of us on the outside know little of this crash. However Im sure, based on what was left at the scene that the investigators also know very little.
As usual when folks dont know squat it will rest on "Pilot Error"
I do hope that when this is all said and done that there is some factual idea of what happened rather than past performance of the pilot as mentioned.
There is also another, can we say, similar accident from another Las Vegas Tour operator waiting for civil litigation. So far as I know no reports have been published.
Many of us on the outside know little of this crash. However Im sure, based on what was left at the scene that the investigators also know very little.
As usual when folks dont know squat it will rest on "Pilot Error"
I do hope that when this is all said and done that there is some factual idea of what happened rather than past performance of the pilot as mentioned.
There is also another, can we say, similar accident from another Las Vegas Tour operator waiting for civil litigation. So far as I know no reports have been published.
Last edited by B Sousa; 9th Jun 2004 at 03:48.