Copterline settles case against US helicopter manufacturer out of court

Details not disclosed; family members continue to pursue claim

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The Finnish passenger helicopter service Copterline has reached out-of-court settlements in two lawsuits that it has raised in the United States against the manufacturer Sikorsky.
      The case involves a crash in which a Copterline helicopter built by Sikorsky fell into the Gulf of Finland soon after leaving the Estonian capital Tallinn en route to Helsinki, killing all on board.
      The commission of inquiry in the case found that the fatal accident was caused by the loosening of the plasma coating on the rotor servo, which rendered the aircraft impossible to steer. In the final report, there was sharp criticism of the safety culture at Copterline.
     
Soon after the accident Copterline initiated legal proceedings, naming Sikorsky as the main defendant. The company is the largest in the field, and is a part of the United Technologies concern.
      The process was initiated in the US Federal Court in New York. The first disagreement was over the venue of the trial. Sikorsky managed to get the process moved to the company’s home state Connecticut, over the objections of Copterline.
      In Connecticut the process began in 2006. Copterline demanded nearly 30 million dollars in compensatory damages, and the same amount in punitive damages. Copterline also called for a jury trial.
      In August 2008 Copterline brought a second motion to the court, in which there were two defendants: Textro, which designed and manufactured the servo, and Plasma Technology, which made its plasma coating. The plaintiff called for damages of at least 30 million dollars.
     
Both suits were settled and withdrawn earlier in the summer. Of the 18-page court records on this, 15 pages were not released to the public
      The pages that were not disclosed include information on how much of the 90 million dollars (EUR 63 million) Copterline was able to get. The company’s chairman of the board, lawyer Pekka Jaatinen of the Castrén & Snellman law offices, will not comment on the matter.
      He will also not say how much of the settlement goes to the American lawyers who handled the case. In cases such as these, American lawyers often do not bill for their services, but they take at least 30 per cent of the settlement reward.
      Nevertheless, the crash is still being handled by the US Federal Circuit Court in Connecticut. A lawsuit raised by the families of the two crew members and one passenger is still going on. The demands by the families of the crew members alone are at least 60 million dollars.
     
Copterline is a very different company from what it was four years ago.
      Attempts to resume scheduled passenger flights between Helsinki and Tallinn foundered, and two new passenger helicopters are for sale at a price of about EUR 16 million. The staff of 70 has gone down to 22, and the company now focuses exclusively on medical and rescue flights.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Loosened servo piston plasma coating confirmed as cause of Copterline crash (8.8.2007)
  Fourteen passengers and crew dead after helicopter crashes in the sea off Estonian coast (11.8.2005)
  Civil Aviation Authority to look into Copterline oversight (14.8.2008)
  Accident investigation board report on fatal 2005 helicopter crash criticises operator Copterlinés safety culture (12.8.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat