Parents of Briton killed in Grand Canyon helicopter crash get $100M settlement

Paul Godfrey
·2 min read
127
The family of a British man killed when the Airbus EC130 helicopter, like the one picutred here, taking him and five others on a sightseeing tour of the Grand Canyon crashed in 2018 have been awarded a $100 million compensation payout. Photo by Mike Burdett/Wikimedia Commons
The family of a British man killed when the Airbus EC130 helicopter, like the one picutred here, taking him and five others on a sightseeing tour of the Grand Canyon crashed in 2018 have been awarded a $100 million compensation payout. Photo by Mike Burdett/Wikimedia Commons

Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The family of a British man killed in a Grand Canyon helicopter crash five years ago is to receive a $100 million compensation payout after successfully suing the manufacturer and operator of the aircraft.

A judge in Las Vegas ordered the U.S. sighting-seeing flight operator, Papillon Airways, and France's Airbus Helicopters, to pay the settlement Friday to Jonathan Udall's parents for the February 2018 tragedy in which Udall's wife and three other British tourists were also killed.

Under the settlement for wrongful death approved at a hearing in Clark County District Court, Marseille-headquartered Airbus Helicopters will pick up the bulk of the tab paying out $75.4 million while Kirkland, Washington-based Papillon Airways will pay $24.6 million.

Udall, 31, and Ellie Milward, 29, were on a sightseeing flight to celebrate their recent marriage along with friends Becky Dobson, 27, Stuart Hill, and Jason Hill, 32, when the Airbus EC130 B4 crashed as it was landing and burst into flames.

The National Transportation Safety Board's final accident report in January 2021 found the crash was likely the result of the pilot, who was also badly injured in the crash, losing control of the aircraft due to a tailwind.

Jonathan Udall, 31, was celebrating his recent marriage to Ellie Milward, with three other British friends on a sightseeing tour of the Grand Canyon when the helicopter in which they were traveling crashed and burst into flames, killing the newlyweds and their friends. File photo by Terry Schmitt UPI
Jonathan Udall, 31, was celebrating his recent marriage to Ellie Milward, with three other British friends on a sightseeing tour of the Grand Canyon when the helicopter in which they were traveling crashed and burst into flames, killing the newlyweds and their friends. File photo by Terry Schmitt UPI

The terms of the package to settle the lawsuit brought by Philip and Marlene Udall arguing the aircraft lacked crash-resistant fuel tanks that could have saved their son's life were confirmed by lawyers for the two defendants, the transcript of Friday's hearing in Clark County District Court shows.

The suit centered on a claim that the "severe and catastrophic burns" over 90% of his body from which Udall died 12 days after the crash would have been avoided had the safety equipment been fitted to the helicopter.

A lawyer representing Udall's parents said they plan to use some of the settlement money to promote helicopter safety and provide support for burn survivors.