There is more to the Engine Lawsuit than meets the eye....and is certainly a questionable verdict.
There was some suggestion there was a conflict of interest re the NTSB Investigator and his Wife's employment or something like that as I recall (not for sure exactly but there was something like that involved.).
The overhaul of the FCU was done by Columbia Helicopters if I remember correctly.
The Civil Case is on Appeal last I heard so the payment has not been made.
Carson Helicopters also used some unusual Take Off Performance Procedures that allowed the use of "contingency power" which also played a role in the crash.
If the USFS went through the Weight and Balance Records of all the Bell 206B's that they have ever contracted for.....they would probably find some more duff W&B records.
The problem with the 206 was the payload requirement in the Contracts used by the USFS....and it was very hard to get your aircraft light enough to provide the contract payload.
Dummying up Paperwork was not a new thing in the USFS Helicopter Contracting business.....and the USFS knew that.
That was a game I refused to play.
If I signed my name to a Document....it was legit.....and I slept much better at night as a result. We lost some business perhaps but my mind was at rest.
Last edited by SASless; 26th Sep 2013 at 12:23.