Cameraman Fatally Injured February 10 When Camera Platform Helo Went Down

An accident that occurred February 10 near Los Angeles, CA, has led to a wrongful death lawsuit being filed Wednesday in LA Superior Court. Cameraman Darren Rydstrom, who was working on a reality television show, was fatally injured in the accident. His mother filed the suit last week.

The suit names Van Nuys Helicopters and the principals of that company, as well as Orbic Air and Crossbow Helicopters in the form of the estate of the aircraft's owner and pilot David Gibbs. Also named are the producers of the television show; J.D. Roth and Todd Nelson.

According to the NTSB's preliminary report, on February 10, about 0330 Pacific standard time, a Bell Helicopter 206B JetRanger, N59518, collided with terrain shortly after departing from a landing zone on a movie ranch near Acton, California. Orbic Air LLC, was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local flight departed the landing zone (LZ) about 1 minute prior to the accident for the purpose of shooting an aerial video sequence. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The first filming session went according to plan. The pilot slept for about an hour and a half, according to the NTSB report, and then removed frost from the main rotor blades and windshield of the helicopter before a second flight. The NTSB's report indicates that "witnesses observed the helicopter depart normally and fly toward the plateau from the west. While maneuvering about 60 miles per hour, the helicopter suddenly pitched down and collided with the terrain below the valley’s wall. The production crew had expected the helicopter to perform high passes prior to maneuvering around near the plateau for the action shot and did not have the cameras on the ground set up or filming."

According to the court documents posted online by The Hollywood Reporter, the plaintiffs say that Orbic Air and the show's producers "failed to ensure that David B. Gibbs was competent, qualified, and sufficiently informed for the flight." It also states that the defendants "failed to insure that the Bell 206B helicopter was functionally equipped and capable of operating over such terrain at night under visual meteorological conditions and failed to ensure it was serviceable for the intended flight."

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

FMI: NTSB Prelim