Tennessee Serviceman Fatally Injured, Helo's FADEC Controls Blamed By Family

A judge is delaying approval of a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a Tennessee serviceman fatally injured in a helicopter accident in Iraq due to problems with the paperwork involved, but a deal between the family of Capt. Marcus Ray Alford and Bell Helicopter and other companies has reportedly been reached.

Capt. Alford was 28 when he was fatally injured in an accident involving a Kiowa OH-58D Warrior. His family said that the FADEC controls on the helicopter are to blame for the accident and his death.

The Scripts-Howard news service reports that U.S. Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley has delayed the initial approval of the settlement because the attorneys presented shoddy paperwork, citing issues such as the inaccurate naming of Capt. Alford's daughter.

Attorney Ursula Bailey said in court documents that she wanted the deal kept secret in an effort to prevent relatives from approaching Alford's minor daughters and grandmother for money.

The helicopter with Capt. Alford and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Billie Jean Grinder aboard went down in February 2010 in a non-combat situation south of Mosul in Iraq while attempting to land.

FMI: www.tned.uscourts.gov