A snowmobiler who was seriously injured from crashing into a parked Army Black Hawk helicopter in 2019 has been awarded $3.3 million by a federal judge. Jeff Smith hit the aircraft at 65 mph at night while transiting a rural Worthington, Massachusetts airstrip that was also used as a snowmobile trail.
The helicopter was on a training mission from Fort Drum, New York, and the crew did not set up reflective cones or chem sticks after it was parked. Smith had drunk two beers and was on prescription drugs immediately before the accident. He also was wearing tinted goggles.
Smith was seeking $9.5 million in damages. Separately, he also sued and settled with the owner of the private airstrip for an undisclosed amount.
U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni assigned blame at 60% to the government, writing, “The court finds the government breached its duty of care in failing to take any steps to protect against the obvious risk of a camouflaged helicopter parked on an active snowmobile trail, in a somewhat wooded area, as darkness set.” Mastroianni additionally criticized Smith’s role in the accident.
An official Army investigation found that the helicopter crew was unaware they were landing on an active snowmobile trail and cast doubt on whether chem sticks would have provided sufficient illumination to prevent the accident.