Victims”™ families have sued Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., attempting to hold the Stratford company accountable for the March 12 crash of an S-92 helicopter off Newfoundland that claimed 17 lives.
Investigators have focused on whether titanium bolts snapped in the main gear box, causing a loss of oil and a subsequent engine failure. The aircraft was operated by Cougar Helicopters Inc., a VIH Aviation Group subsidiary that provides shuttle service to offshore oil rigs.
In a federal lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania, plaintiffs said that Sikorsky marketed the S-92 on the “run dry” assurance that the helicopter could fly for a half-hour after losing oil in the main gear box. The lawsuit did not initially specify monetary damages sought.
Sikorsky did not immediately file an answer to the complaint, and a spokesman declined comment.
