Herbert Wigwe: Why US Court ruled that Airbus Helicopter, Owners of Eurocopter EC 130B4, Must Pay $75 Million For Fatal Crash

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A US court ordered Airbus Helicopters SAS, the manufacturer of the helicopter model involved in a 2018 crash that killed five Britons, to pay $75 million to one of the victims' families. 

The lawsuit arose from a February 2018 accident in the Grand Canyon that killed brothers Stuart and Jason Hill (ages 30 and 32), as well as Stuart's girlfriend, Becky Dobson. Jonathan and Ellie Udall, husband and wife, were also killed after suffering crash-related injuries.

The Eurocopter EC 130B4 helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff and caught fire. According to an investigation, tailwinds and turbulence were likely causes of the loss of control.

Jonathan Udall's parents sued Airbus Helicopters and the helicopter's operator, Papillon Airways, alleging that the aircraft was unsafe without crash-resistant fuel tanks, which could have prevented the post-crash fire.

A Nevada judge ruled that Papillon and Airbus must pay the Udall family $24.6 million and $75 million, respectively, with the goal of spurring industry change. Airbus manufactures the same helicopter that crashed in December 2022, k!illing Nigerian banking CEO Herbert Wigwe.  

Wigwe was aboard a Eurocopter EC 130 that crashed in California, k!illing all six people on board. The aircraft has a history of fatal accidents.

The landmark $75 million verdict sent a clear message to Airbus about the safety flaws in its EC 130 helicopters. The Udall family hopes that their tragedy will result in lifesaving improvements to helicopter fuel systems. 

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