Suit moves slowly for kin of '05 copter crash victims
By Joe Hanel, Durango Herald
Published June 6, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
The families of three Durango men who died in a medical helicopter crash near Mancos in 2005 are watching their lawsuit against the helicopter maker proceed slowly through the courts.
The Tri-State CareFlight helicopter crashed June 30, 2005, killing Jim Saler, William Podmayer and Scott Hyslop. The crew was about to land to pick up a logger injured in a truck accident when the helicopter suddenly dropped 220 feet to the ground.
The victims' families filed suit in March 2007 against three companies - Agusta, which built the A119 Koala helicopter; Pratt & Whitney, the engine maker; and Honeywell, which made a fuel-control part.
U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver, of Phoenix, is hearing the case. She has scheduled a hearing for Aug. 15. A trial has not been scheduled, but it isn't likely to start before 2009.
"These things move very slowly," said Will Angelley, an attorney for the families. "It can take two years or so to get final resolution, sometimes a little bit longer."
The lawsuit claims a malfunction in the engine or the fuel- control unit caused the crash.
Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board found problems with the bolts on the fuel-control unit. One was too long, one was too short and the last two were not tightened.
The NTSB report concluded that "a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons" caused the crash.
"I think the bottom line is the fuel-control unit in this engine was not put together properly," Angelley said. "Basically, it just shut down in flight as these guys were making their approach to the field."
In court papers, attorneys for the three companies deny they were at fault. Lawyers for Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney said the accident was caused by modifications made to the engine and fuel-control unit.
James Marburger, an attorney for Pratt & Whitney, declined to discuss the defense strategy. "It's premature to get into that," he said.
Attorneys for Honeywell and Agusta did not return calls Thursday.
The lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount of the damages that the families are seeking. The families could not be reached for comment Thursday.
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June 6, 2008
9:52 a.m.
Suggest removal
Scott writes:
The only winner in this case will be the prostitute Angelley. It will be paid its fee no matter what the outcome is.
Scott
June 6, 2008
2:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
Vector049 writes:
Financially desperate people playing the litigation lotto. S**t happens. That's life. Get over it and move on.