In a tragic incident in Southern California, the family of a helicopter pilot who lost his life while battling a wildfire has reached a $15 million settlement with the company responsible for maintaining the aircraft, according to their legal representatives. The late Michael Fournier was involved in efforts to contain a wildfire on August 19, 2020, when his red Bell UH-1H helicopter suddenly crashed into a hillside near Coalinga, which is located 10 miles south of the town.
Fournier was employed by a private company based in Southern California that contracts with various agencies, including the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, to supply firefighting aircraft. His family’s lawsuit pressed for accountability and clarity regarding the cause of the accident. “This outcome provides the answers and responsibility that the Fournier family sought,” said Andrew Robb, one of their legal representatives. The family has opted not to make any public statements.
The National Transportation Safety Board conducted an investigation into the crash and determined that it resulted from “a hydraulic system failure.” Moments before the catastrophe, Fournier communicated via radio with air traffic control to report issues with the helicopter’s hydraulics, Robb stated.
Fournier was affiliated with Guardian Helicopters, a company based in Fillmore, California. At the time, it was under contract with Cal Fire to deliver emergency services. The $15 million settlement will be paid by Rotorcraft Support, Inc., which was responsible for the helicopter’s maintenance. Efforts to reach the helicopter maintenance company for comment were unsuccessful on Friday.
The helicopter crashed in a remote, hilly, and smoke-filled region that was challenging to access. A Fresno County Sheriff’s Department search and rescue team took almost four hours to reach the crash site. Fourteen rescuers in five Jeeps traveled extensively through the difficult terrain under smoke-filled skies, ultimately abandoning their vehicles to walk the last several hundred yards to the helicopter wreckage. Upon retrieving the body, they reverently wrapped it in an American flag and transported it back to the vehicles.