A jury has awarded $116 million to the family of Trevor Cadigan, one of five passengers killed in a 2018 no-door helicopter crash in New York City’s East River.
The verdict, delivered Thursday, found multiple companies at fault for the fatal accident. FlyNYON, which arranged the flight, was assigned 42% of the liability. Liberty Helicopters, the aircraft’s owner and operator, was found 38% responsible. Dart Aerospace, manufacturer of a malfunctioning flotation device, was held 20% liable.
Cadigan, a 26-year-old journalist, was among five passengers who drowned after the helicopter plunged into the East River. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation revealed that a passenger’s tether became entangled with the fuel shutoff switch, causing engine failure.
Gary C. Robb, the family’s lawyer, described the helicopter as “a death trap,” criticizing the use of construction-grade safety harnesses that passengers couldn’t escape. The pilot, wearing a conventional seatbelt, was the sole survivor.
The NTSB report largely blamed FlyNYON for installing hard-to-escape harnesses and exploiting regulatory loopholes to avoid stricter safety requirements. The company promoted “doors-off” flights for dramatic photo opportunities while maintaining a certification with less stringent safety standards.
Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily grounded doors-off flights with tight restraints. New regulations now require easily releasable harnesses.
Cadigan’s parents initiated the lawsuit hoping to end no-door flights. Jerry Cadigan, Trevor’s father and a Dallas broadcast journalist, passed away in July during a break in the trial.
AP
