The parents of a British man who lost his life following a helicopter crash at the Grand Canyon are set to receive a payout worth £79m. Jonathan Udall, aged 31, passed away in 2018, after the aircraft crashed and caught fire. He and his wife Ellie Milward were among a group of five friends visiting the US from the UK. Lawyers for Mr Udall’s parents claimed that their son could have survived had the helicopter been equipped with safety systems to prevent the fire, a failure which they claimed was down to vehicle manufacturers Airbus Helicopters SAS and operation company Papillon Airways.
The couple argued that the crash-resistant fuel tank made by Airbus Helicopters SAS was not correctly installed by Papillon Airways, the vehicle’s operator, and that this had contributed to their son’s death. Under the terms of the settlement, Airbus Helicopters SAS will pay $75.4m (£59.3m), while Papillon Airways will pay $24.6m (£19.4m). The settlement has been approved by a Nevada judge.
Lawyer Gary C Robb acting for the Udall family expressed the hope that news of the settlement will help prompt changes in helicopter design that improve safety standards. He highlighted the fact that many helicopters use flimsy fuel tanks that can open up and overflow when the vehicle makes a hard landing, soaking passengers in fuel and causing catastrophic burns. Mr Robb stated that Mr Udall’s parents planned to use some of the settlement funds to support those affected by fire injuries and promote helicopter safety.
A National Transportation Safety Board report indicated that the Grand Canyon crash was likely to have been caused by a strong tailwind, which caused the helicopter to spin out of control and crash. The pilot of the vehicle, Scott Booth, survived the accident, but both his legs were amputated in the aftermath
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