Bell Helicopter settles suit over Tail Rotor Failure
Familes of helicopter crash settle with manufacturer over 1998 crash
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - A settlement was reached Tuesday between the widows of three firefighters who were killed in a helicopter crash and an aircraft parts manufacturer.
A civil trial had been ongoing for the past 11 days but ended abruptly when it was announced both sides had reached an agreement.
The terms of the deal were not released.
Ronald Goldman, an attorney for the plaintiffs, declined to comment on the outcome of the case.
"I will only say that the case was resolved to the satisfaction of everyone," Goldman said.
The accident occurred in March 1998 when a Fire Department helicopter crashed in Griffith Park while airlifting an 11-year-old car accident victim. The girl, Norma Vides, died along with two paramedics, Michael Butler and Eric Reiner, and Michael McComb, a crewman.
The widows of the three firefighters - Maria Butler, Lisa Reiner and Lorene McComb - claimed in their lawsuit that a defective helicopter part and manufacturer fraud caused the crash. The girl's family were not plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
A National Transportation Safety Board report found the crash was likely caused by a fatigue fracture in a tail rotor yoke assembly, which caused the rotor to separate from the aircraft in flight.
The 22-year-old Bell 205A-1 helicopter, manufactured by Bell Textron, Inc., lost its two tail rotor blades and a portion of the tail rotor gearbox just before it crashed.
The report also said the two paramedics who died were not provided with helmets, tether straps or other safety devices that would have protected the crew and Vides.
Goldman told jurors during opening statements that the tail rotor yoke failed because of metal fatigue from the stress of normal flying.
Bell Textron officials knew the yoke had "dangerous properties," but covered it up and committed fraud, Goldman said.
However, the lawyer for Bell Textron, Stephen Brunk, told jurors the fire department's failure to tie the rotor blades down led to a crack in the yoke.
"It is very important that that be done," Brunk said. The yokes, if properly maintained, "have infinite fatigue life."
Since the crash, shoulder restraints and helmets have been purchased and provided for all the department's aircraft.