• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Parents of man who died in horrific helicopter crash over Grand Canyon awarded $100 million

Home> News> UK News

Published 14:57 10 Jan 2024 GMT

Parents of man who died in horrific helicopter crash over Grand Canyon awarded $100 million

"No other parents have to go through what they went through."

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

A judge has approved a massive payout to the parents of a British man who died in a helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon.

On 10 February 2018, five Britons were involved in a devastating helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon, Arizona which led to all of them passing away.

Onboard the Airbus EC130 B4 helicopter which burst into flames was Jonathan Udall, accompanied by his new wife Ellie Milward, 29, brothers Stuart and Jason Hill, 30 and 32, and Stuart's girlfriend Becky Dobson, 27.

Jonathan Udall had only just gotten married to Ellie Milward before the devastating crash.
Facebook

Advert

The 31-year-old's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the helicopter operator and manufacturer and a judge has since approved the settlement.

The five Britons had been taking a trip on the helicopter in celebration of Jonathan and Ellie's recent marriage alongside Stuart Hill's birthday.

However, while flying over the Grand Canyon, the aircraft crashed and burst into flames.

The pilot of the aircraft survived - although has gone on to have both legs amputated - while Becky and both Hill brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.

Advert

Ellie and Jonathan were rushed to hospital with severe burn injuries.

Jonathan was reported to suffer burns to 90 percent of his body before passing away 12 days after the incident, while his wife died a few days later, similarly as a result of her burn injuries.

Jonathan's parents, Philip and Marlene Udall, filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming the aircraft's manufacturer, Airbus Helicopters SAS and operator, Papillon Airways, were negligent in failing to install a crash-resistant fuel tank and that if the companies had, their son may not have sustained 'severe and catastrophic burns' and could potentially have survived.

Jonathan Udall's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
Facebook

Advert

On Friday (5 January) a Nevada judge approved a settlement for the Udalls, meaning they're set to receive $100 million - &75.4 million from Airbus Helicopters SAS and $24.6 million from Papillon Airways.

The parents' lawyer, Gary C Robb, said in a statement as quoted by BBC News: "The family wanted to shine a spotlight on this public health issue because there are too many helicopters that have this very unsafe, flimsy fuel tank.

"When the helicopter makes a hard landing, it opens up and pours fuel onto the passengers, soaks them in the fuel, and then it ignites and they are then covered in flame. It is horrific. And it should be corrected immediately."

The Udalls are going to use some of the settlement money to raise awareness of helicopter safety and implore manufacturers to improve their aircraft so 'no other parents have to go through what they went through'.

Advert

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677

Featured Image Credit: Universal News And Sport Europe / Adam Delgiudice/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Topics: UK News, US News, Money, Parenting

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Cult classic film removed from Disney+ over controversial scene that had it banned from TV

    The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has long expressed its concerns about the scene in the 1989 movie

    Film & TV
  • 10 hours ago

    Vin Diesel hints Paul Walker could be in upcoming Fast and Furious movie and it's left fans very divided

    He's desperate to reunite Dom and Brian

    Film & TV
  • 11 hours ago

    Trump supporters are revealing the ‘red line’ that would make them stop supporting him and people say it’s ‘disturbing’

    President Trump's shocking approval ratings were recently released

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Starbucks customer outraged after barista allegedly wrote 'illegal' joke on her cup

    "When I read it I’m like, OK. Was I supposed to laugh?"

    News
  • Man who witnessed American Airlines plane crash describes seeing ‘white flare' as it collided with helicopter
  • Family of TikTok star, 2, who died in horror car crash speak out after cops make shocking claim
  • GoFundMe set up for 11-year-old girl who lost entire family in tragic car crash reaches over $300k
  • Finance expert who predicted 2008 financial crash gives chilling warning for US economy