Forced Landing Injuries Results in Helicopter Crash Lawsuit

Case Title: Lamberson v. Bell Helicopters Textron, Inc. et al.

On July 30, 2007, a Bell 206B helicopter, N4YJ, was damaged during a forced landing after it lost engine power. The pilot and one of the passengers were not injured, but a second passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter left Dallas Love Field Airport at 6 AM on July 30 and spent approximately 40 minutes reporting on traffic. As they began to fly to a different location for a news story, the engine lost power at an altitude of 800 feet. The pilot turned to a clear area and completed an autorotation in a field with tall grass, where the helicopter rolled over. All of the passengers were able to exit the helicopter through the left side doors. The helicopter’s blades, skids, tail boom, undercarriage, and cockpit were substantially damaged. Slack Davis Sanger represented the injured passenger, a reporter for a local Dallas Station. She suffered facial lacerations and a fractured vertebra, causing her to wear a back brace for three months. Ladd Sanger was able to secure settlements with several defendants to compensate the passenger for her injuries.

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.