Helicopter Crash in Andes Mountains of Peru

Case Title: Helinka-Evergreen Air Crash

On March 11, 2008, a Bell 412B helicopter, N417EV, crashed in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Both pilots and all eight passengers on board were killed. The helicopter was operated by Rio Tinto, a copper mining company, and was transporting passengers from their La Granja copper mine location to the northern Pacific port of Chiclayo. As the helicopter left the heliport, it proceeded toward the town of Hurambos at a low altitude, most likely due to bad weather conditions. It followed a gully that aligned with the Chancay river path until arriving at Cerro “La Carcel.” At that point, the helicopter flew into a mountainside about 3,500 feet above sea level and was destroyed on impact. Residents of a nearby village stated that they believed the helicopter crashed during a strong storm. The remote jungle’s nature, location, and high winds made recovery very difficult. The combined voice and flight data recorder took twenty-eight days to recover. Slack Davis Sanger represented the estates of seven of the passengers. Ladd Sanger’s extensive knowledge of international aviation allowed him to negotiate substantial pre-trial settlements for each of the passengers’ families.

Ladd Sanger is an attorney and a licensed pilot who focuses on aviation accidents, including product liability, product litigation, and representing clients who have been injured as a result of aviation accidents. His experience as a pilot helps him understand the technical aspects of aviation crashes.