Adventure to Disaster: Helicopter Tour Crashes in Southern California

Helicopter tours offer picturesque and unique views of Southern California. From short 15-minute rides to hour-long VIP tours, these aerial attractions are popular among tourists and residents alike. While most of these common carrier outings result in enjoyable adventures, negligence can lead to severe and often fatal crashes.

Causes of helicopter tour accidents

Helicopters are extremely complex machines that require sufficient maintenance and operation by a highly skilled pilot. When passengers board these aircrafts, they put their lives in the hands of the tour company and the pilot. These entities have a duty to take all reasonable precautions to protect the lives and safety of their customers. Unfortunately, this duty sometimes goes unmet, leading to tragic accidents. Some of the complications most often associated with helicopter crashes include:

• Pilot error. Pilots are responsible for operating helicopters in a safe manner. This includes numerous factors, such as:
  • Following industry regulations
  • Making appropriate decisions regarding unsafe weather conditions
  • Adequate training
  • Proper flight planning
  • Ensuring proper maintenance of the helicopter
• Mechanical malfunctions. When helicopters fail to function correctly, violent crashes can severely injure or kill passengers on board. These malfunctions may stem from numerous sources, including:
  • Defective design
  • Manufacturing mistakes
  • Poor maintenance
  • Inadequate quality control

In determining liability for a helicopter crash, there may be numerous responsible parties including the pilot, the helicopter manufacturer, or the tour company.

Common injuries resulting from helicopter crashes

Helicopter tour accidents usually entail the helicopter crashing to the ground or flying into a structure. The violent nature of these incidents makes them extremely dangerous for passengers, often resulting in death or severe injury. Some of the injuries commonly associated with helicopter crashes include:

• Traumatic brain injuries. These injuries can result from a violent impact of a helicopter crash, which may cause the passenger’s head to jolt and move the brain around inside of the skull. A brain injury may also result from the head hitting against a hard surface or the intrusion of a foreign object into the skull.
• Loss of limb. The brutal nature of a helicopter crash can tear limbs away from victims’ bodies. Even when this does not occur, the crash may injure the passenger’s limb or limbs so severely that a medical amputation is necessary.  
• Severe burns. Helicopter accidents often result in fiery explosions, which can leave passengers with severe or fatal burns. Victims who survive the crash may be left to deal with second and third degree burns, expensive medical treatments, and permanent disfigurement.
• Psychological injuries. The trauma of a violent helicopter crash, along with the resulting physical injuries, can leave extensive psychological scars. Victims may suffer from traumatic stress disorder, severe depression, or anxiety.

A Southern California helicopter tour accident can quickly turn an exciting adventure into a deadly crash. When this occurs, the experienced Los Angeles common carrier accident attorneys of Taylor & Ring aggressively work to secure compensation for victims and their families. Contact us today at 310-776-6390 or complete our convenient contact form.