Then-NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the use of construction-grade harnesses turned the flight into a “death trap” and the accident was otherwise survivable.
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Last week, a New York jury awarded $116 million to the mother of the front-seat passenger who died after a doors-off helitour flight crashed into Manhattan’s East River in 2018.
Trevor Cadigan, 26, and four other passengers died after his supplemental harness became entangled with the floor-mounted fuel cutoff control lever on the single-engine 2013 Airbus AS350B2 being operated by Liberty Helicopters on behalf of “shoe selfie” aerial tour firm FlyNYON. The entanglement caused the engine to stop after the fuel lever inadvertently went into the closed position.
While the pilot was able to successfully autorotate into the river, the Dart Aerospace skid-mounted pop-out emergency floats failed to fully inflate and the helicopter rolled inverted. The pilot, who was not wearing the supplemental harness, extricated himself; however, the passengers were unable to do so and drowned. At 2019 hearings, then-NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the use of the construction-grade harnesses turned the flight into a “death trap,” and the accident was otherwise survivable.
In making the award, the jury assigned liability at 42% to FlyNYON, 38% to Liberty, and 20% to Dart. Airbus Helicopters was not found at fault. Beginning with its subsequent AS350B3 model, the OEM relocated the fuel cutoff control lever to the overhead panel. On Aug. 22, 2024, the FAA issued rule 89 FR 67834 prohibiting the use of aircraft supplemental restraint systems unless it can be demonstrated that the wearer can rapidly extricate themselves. The rule does not apply to parachute, rotorcraft external load, or public safety operations.
Last week, a New York jury awarded $116 million to the mother of the front-seat passenger who died after a doors-off helitour flight crashed into Manhattan’s East River in 2018.
Trevor Cardigan, 26, and four other passengers died after his supplemental harness became entangled with the floor-mounted fuel cutoff control lever on the single-engine 2013 Airbus AS350B2 being operated by Liberty Helicopters on behalf of “shoe selfie” aerial tour firm FlyNYON. The entanglement caused the engine to stop after the fuel lever inadvertently went into the closed position.
While the pilot was able to successfully autorotate into the river, the Dart Aerospace skid-mounted pop-out emergency floats failed to fully inflate and the helicopter rolled inverted. The pilot, who was not wearing the supplemental harness, extricated himself; however, the passengers were unable to do so and drowned. At 2019 hearings, then-NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the use of the construction-grade harnesses turned the flight into a “death trap,” and the accident was otherwise survivable.
In making the award, the jury assigned liability at 42% to FlyNYON, 38% to Liberty, and 20% to Dart. Airbus Helicopters was not found at fault. On August 22, the FAA issued rule 89 FR 67834 prohibiting the use of aircraft supplemental restraint systems unless it can be demonstrated that the wearer can rapidly extricate themselves.