Fort Worth, Texas, April 8, 2014 - - The widow and children of helicopter pilot Mark Montgomery have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Tarrant County, Texas. Their lawsuit alleges that the helicopter crashed after losing power, as a result of a defective and negligently designed Honeywell LTS-101 engine.
The Eurocopter AS350 B2 helicopter, owned and operated by Wichita-based EagleMed, a medical transport service, crashed on February 22, 2013 in the parking lot of St. Ann's Retirement Home, in Oklahoma City, killing Montgomery, flight nurse Chris Denning, and flight paramedic Billy Wynne. The three men had taken off from Integris Baptist Medical Center and were on their way to Watonga Municipal Hospital to pick up a cardiac patient when the crash occurred.
According to the complaint, the helicopter was manufactured and sold by American Eurocopter Corporation (now owned by Airbus Helicopters, Inc.) The helicopter's engine was designed, manufactured and sold by Honeywell International, Inc. Both, Honeywell and Soloy, L.L.C., made modifications to the crash helicopter.
Mark Montgomery was a skilled helicopter pilot who retired from the U.S. Army as a Master Army Aviator and the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4. Montgomery recorded more than 4,700 safe flight hours. Among his numerous military accolades was the Clarence R. Clarkson Aviation Safety Medal, which was awarded to him three times for his skill as a pilot. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
The Montgomery family is represented by Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman of Los Angeles, California. The firm has represented over 600 victims of aviation accidents, including helicopter cases involving Aerospatiale, Bell Helicopter Textron, Eurocopter, Hughes Helicopters, McDonnell Douglas, Messerschmitt-Bolkow Blohm, Robinson Helicopters, and Sikorsky.
The cause number is 141-267462-13 and was filed in the 141st Judicial District Court in Tarrant County, Texas.
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