Hawaii Sightseeing Helicopter Crash Incidents

Hawaii's breathtaking landscapes attract hundreds of thousands of helicopter tour passengers annually, but the operational environment presents extraordinary hazards. 

Unpredictable tropical trade winds can shift rapidly, creating dangerous flying conditions with little warning. Volcanic ash from active eruptions poses serious risks to helicopter engines and visibility. Mountainous terrain limits emergency landing options, and sudden weather changes can trap helicopters in clouds or heavy precipitation.

Between 1984 to 2022, Hawaii experienced 54 fatalities in sightseeing helicopter crashes, accounting for a disproportionate share of U.S. tour helicopter fatalities. Federal oversight and enforcement have been inconsistent, and many operators continue flying in marginal conditions rather than disappointing paying customers.

Our firm has extensive experience with helicopter crashes in Hawaii and understands the unique safety standards, operational, and geographic factors that contribute to these tragedies.

New York City Tour and "Doors-Off" Flights

New York City's doors-off helicopter tours offer passengers dramatic aerial photography opportunities, but create catastrophic risks when operators use inadequate safety equipment. Our 2018 East River crash that killed five passengers exposed how tour companies prioritized customer experience and social media-worthy photos over passenger safety.

Our firm secured a $116 million jury verdict, the largest wrongful death verdict for a single wrongful death in New York State history for a single death, and subsequently negotiated a $90 million settlement (the largest wrongful death settlement in New York history) for the family of Trevor Cadigan. Trevor was a 26-year-old journalist who drowned along with four other passengers after their helicopter lost engine power and crashed into the East River.

The crash sequence was initiated by a passenger tether that snagged on a floor-mounted fuel shutoff control, cutting the engine. When the helicopter hit the water, only one flotation device was deployed, causing the aircraft to flip over onto its back. 

The passengers were restrained with makeshift harnesses purchased from a construction supply store, not aviation-grade equipment, and all five drowned because they could not escape.

Specific risks of NYC doors-off tours include:

• Store-bought fall-protection gear designed for construction workers, not aviation use
• Harness and tether systems that become death traps in emergency water landings
• Congested urban airspace with minimal margin for error
• Intense competition among tour operators that compromises safety for profit maximization
• Pressure to maximize passenger count and flight frequency

Following our litigation, the FAA mandated improved harness systems with quick-release mechanisms for doors-off tours nationwide.

Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and Nearby Tours

Las Vegas serves as a major departure point for helicopter tours covering the Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and Grand Canyon extensions. High flight volume and competitive pricing create operational pressures that can compromise safety. 

Many Las Vegas tour operators rely on part-time or relatively inexperienced pilots to meet demand, and remote crash environments near the Grand Canyon complicate rescue operations.

Our firm obtained a $16 million jury verdict in the Sundance Helicopters case, demonstrating our ability to hold Las Vegas tour operators accountable for negligent practices.

Why Sightseeing Helicopter Crashes Happen

The vast majority of tour helicopter crashes are preventable and result from known risk factors that operators, manufacturers, and regulators have failed to adequately address.

Primary causes of tour helicopter crashes include:

• Inadequate maintenance or ignoring manufacturer inspection schedules. Tour operators running high-volume operations may defer maintenance to save money and keep aircraft flying and generating revenue. Skipped inspections, expired components, and failure to comply with manufacturer service bulletins can lead to dangerous mechanical failures.
• Poor weather and risk assessment. Operators face enormous pressure not to cancel flights, leading pilots to fly into marginal weather conditions, low visibility, or areas with unpredictable winds. The "get-there-itis" mentality, driven by customer disappointment and lost revenue, overrides sound aeronautical decision-making.
• Pilot distraction from tour narration and "guide" duties. When pilots are expected to simultaneously fly the aircraft and provide entertaining commentary about landmarks and scenery, their attention is diverted from critical flight tasks. This divided focus increases the risk of accidents, particularly during takeoffs, landings, and maneuvering near terrain.
• Flying too low or too close to terrain or structures to enhance passenger experience. Tour operators market "thrill" experiences and dramatic photo opportunities, pressuring pilots to fly dangerously close to canyon walls, waterfalls, buildings, or other obstacles. These maneuvers leave no margin for error when unexpected wind gusts, mechanical issues, or control problems arise.
• Crowded tour airspace and inadequate FAA oversight or exemptions. Multiple helicopters operating in the same sightseeing areas create collision risks and communication challenges. In some locations, tour operators have obtained exemptions that reduce safety requirements in the name of enhancing the tourist experience.
• Defective components causing loss of control or post-crash fire. Faulty hydraulic systems, pitch servos, tail rotor assemblies, and, most critically, non-crash-resistant fuel systems have caused numerous tour helicopter crashes. Post-crash fires in otherwise survivable accidents have resulted in horrific burn injuries and deaths that modern fuel system technology could have prevented.

Our firm's investigations uncover these failures through collaboration with leading aviation engineers, accident reconstructionists, human factors experts, and industry specialists. 

We obtain and analyze maintenance records, flight data, pilot training files, operator communications, and manufacturer documents to build comprehensive cases that identify all responsible parties and establish full liability.

Our Role in Safety Reform and Industry Change

At Robb & Robb, we view litigation as a form of safety improvement. When industry and safety standards fail to protect the public adequately, civil litigation becomes a powerful tool for compelling manufacturers and operators to implement life-saving technologies and practices.

Advocacy for Crash Resistant Fuel Systems (CRFS)

Our firm has been at the forefront of CRFS advocacy for over 20 years. This technology, available since the 1960s and virtually 100% effective, prevents fuel tank ruptures during otherwise survivable crashes. Despite its proven effectiveness, helicopter manufacturers resisted implementation for decades, taking advantage of safety loopholes.

Through aggressive litigation and high-profile settlements, we have:

• Secured the two largest CRFS-related settlements in U.S. history ($100 million for Jonathan Udall and $100 million for David Repsher)
• Forced Airbus helicopters to offer free CRFS retrofits to U.S. customers following our litigation (though we questioned this as "too little, too late")
• Compelled tour operator Papillon Airways to retrofit its entire fleet with crash-resistant fuel tanks

We Are the Country's Leading Law Firm on Helicopter Crash Resistant Fuel Systems (CRFS)

Our law firm has been on the leading edge of advocating for Crash Resistant Fuel Systems (CRFS) in helicopters for over 20 years (read about Mr. Robb’s work on CRFS in the Wall Street Journal). This technology has been available since the 1960s, but the helicopter industry has resisted utilizing it. As a result, even a routine hard landing can result in a devastating and disabling post-crash fire. We have handled many of these cases, including the two highest results in U.S. history, a $100 million cash settlement in 2024 in Nevada for the wrongful death of Jonathan Udall from post crash burn injuries during a Grand Canyon tour, a $100 million cash settlement in 2018 in Colorado for the 90% burn injuries to David Repsher in a 2015 helicopter crash, and one of the very first substantial settlements in 2001, $38 million for Chana Daskal's burn injuries sustained in a Grand Canyon helicopter crash.

On December 22, 2023, just prior to the scheduled Udall trial, Airbus for the first time offered its CRFS retrofits free of charge, to U.S. customers only. Mr. Robb has questioned Airbus’s action as too little too late.

Impactful Policy Changes After Tour Aviation Cases

Our litigation has resulted in:

• FAA mandates requiring improved quick-release harness systems for doors-off helicopter tours
• Elimination and redesign of dangerous aircraft components across multiple manufacturers
• Enhanced warnings issued to thousands of operators worldwide regarding defective product conditions
• Improved corporate safety practices and maintenance procedures at tour operators nationwide

Commitment to Avoiding NDAs in Defect Cases

Unlike many law firms that routinely accept non-disclosure agreements in product defect cases involving public safety, we refuse to accept them. When manufacturers or operators want to buy silence about known defects, we say no; this means that critical safety information reaches operators, other attorneys, insurers, and the public. This ethical stance has saved lives by exposing dangerous products and practices that would otherwise remain hidden.

What Compensation Can Include in Tour Helicopter Crash Cases

Families who have lost loved ones in tour helicopter crashes and survivors who have suffered catastrophic injuries may seek compensation from multiple responsible parties, including tour operators, helicopter manufacturers, maintenance companies, component suppliers, and others.

Available damages include:

• Wrongful death compensation covering loss of financial support and services, loss of companionship and guidance, loss of parental care and nurturing, and compensation for the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering and pre-impact terror.
• Personal injury medical expenses, future care, and rehabilitation for surviving victims with severe burn injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, orthopedic injuries, and other catastrophic conditions requiring lifelong treatment.
• Lost earnings and loss of future earning capacity for workers and family breadwinners permanently disabled by crash injuries, calculated using vocational experts and economic analysis.
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress experienced by victims who survived crashes and by family members who have lost loved ones, including compensation for mental anguish, loss of life's enjoyment, and psychological trauma.
• Punitive damages in cases involving reckless, willful, or grossly negligent conduct, such as:
  • Knowingly flying helicopters without crash-resistant fuel systems
  • Deliberately ignoring manufacturer safety warnings
  • Operating with expired or defective components despite knowledge of the risk
  • Pressuring pilots to fly in unsafe conditions to avoid refunds or disappointed customers

How Robb & Robb Handles Sightseeing Helicopter Crash Cases

Our litigation approach is specifically tailored to the unique challenges of tour helicopter crashes:

• Immediate independent investigation. We mobilize within hours of being retained in a case, deploying investigators to the accident site to document wreckage, photograph conditions, interview witnesses, and preserve physical evidence before it is altered, removed, or destroyed. We secure flight data, maintenance records, operator communications, and pilot training files before defendants can sanitize or manipulate records.
• Coordination with top aviation, engineering, and human factors experts. Tour helicopter cases require distinct knowledge that general personal injury lawyers cannot provide. We collaborate with the nation's leading helicopter accident reconstructionists, aviation engineers, fuel system specialists, human factors psychologists, and industry safety consultants to develop technically sound and persuasive cases.
• Identifying all liable parties. Tour helicopter crashes often involve multiple responsible entities:
  • Tour operators who own or charter the helicopters
  • Parent companies and holding entities
  • Helicopter manufacturers (Airbus, Bell, Robinson, etc.)
  • Engine and component manufacturers (Turbomeca, Safran, Rolls-Royce, etc.)
  • Maintenance contractors who performed inspections or repairs
  • Parts suppliers who provided defective components
  • Insurance companies not providing their contracted coverage, or acting in bad faith

Our investigations identify every entity whose negligence, product defect, or misconduct contributed to the crash, maximizing available compensation.

• Preparing every case as if it will go to trial. While many cases settle, defendants typically offer the maximum value when they face a credible threat of trial. We are known and respected by aviation defendants and insurers. We conduct thorough discovery, retain expert witnesses, prepare demonstrative exhibits, and develop comprehensive trial strategies from the outset. This trial-ready posture drives high-value settlements and positions our clients for victory if settlement negotiations fail.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sightseeing Helicopter Crashes

Who can be held liable after a sightseeing helicopter crash?

Multiple parties may share responsibility:

• Tour operators and charter companies for inadequate maintenance, unsafe operational practices, or hiring unqualified pilots
• Helicopter manufacturers for design defects, manufacturing defects, or failure to warn about known dangers
• Component manufacturers for defective parts such as engines, fuel systems, hydraulics, or flight control components
• Maintenance providers for negligent inspections, improper repairs, or failure to comply with manufacturer service bulletins
• Pilots and flight crews for operational errors, poor decision-making, or safety violations

Our investigations identify all responsible parties and pursue claims against each entity whose failures contributed to the crash.

What should families do in the days following a tour helicopter crash?

Preserve all documentation related to the tour booking, including confirmation emails, receipts, promotional materials, and any communications with the tour operator.

Do not sign any documents provided by the tour operator, insurance companies, or their representatives without consulting an attorney. These documents often contain liability waivers, settlement releases, or other provisions that can harm your legal rights.

Avoid giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters or investigators representing the tour operator or manufacturer. These statements can be used against you later.

Contact experienced aviation counsel immediately. Evidence deteriorates rapidly, and defendants begin building their defense within hours of a crash. The sooner we can start our independent investigation, the better positioned your case will be.

Document your family's losses through journals, photographs, and financial records. Wrongful death cases require proof of the deceased's contributions to the family and the impact of their loss.

Do I have to live in the same state where the crash occurred to hire your firm?

No. Robb & Robb handles helicopter crash cases nationwide, and we regularly represent families from across the U.S. and around the world. Tour helicopter crashes often involve victims from different states or countries who were vacationing or traveling at the time the accident occurred.

We can file cases in the appropriate jurisdiction based on where the crash occurred, where the defendants are located, and other factors that optimize your case's legal position. We handle all aspects of litigation, regardless of where you live, and we travel to meet clients in person when necessary.

What if the operator blames "unpredictable weather" for the crash?

"Unpredictable weather" is one of the most common defenses used by tour operators and pilots to deflect responsibility. We are well prepared to oppose that excuse.

However, this defense often fails under scrutiny because:

• Professional pilots are trained to assess weather and make go/no-go decisions. If weather conditions were truly unpredictable or dangerous, the pilot should not have departed.
• Tour operators have access to sophisticated weather forecasting and real-time updates. Claims that the weather "suddenly" became dangerous are often contradicted by meteorological evidence showing that hazardous conditions were forecast or developing.
• Economic pressure often drives decisions that lead to hazardous weather conditions. Tour operators face enormous pressure not to cancel flights due to lost revenue. This pressure can cause pilots to fly into marginal conditions that a prudent operator would avoid.
• Industry standards require conservative weather minimums. Even when flights are technically legal under safety standards, industry best practices often require higher weather minimums for the safety of passengers.

Our investigations include a detailed meteorological analysis, a review of weather forecasts and reports available before departure, an examination of the operator's weather decision-making procedures, and a comparison to industry safety standards. We work with weather experts who can establish that conditions were either foreseeable or within the pilot and operator's responsibility to avoid.