Troy Gentry’s Wife Sues Helicopter Manufacturer For ‘Dangerous Defects Which Caused’ Fatal Crash
As Troy Gentry continues to be mourned by the country community following a fatal helicopter crash last September, his wife has filed a lawsuit against the aircraft's manufacturer.
As Troy Gentry continues to be mourned by the country community following a fatal helicopter crash last September, his wife has filed a lawsuit against the aircraft’s manufacturer.
Angela Gentry is taking action against Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Sikorsky Global Helicopters and Keystone Helicopter Corp., all of which are attributed to the Model 269 Schweitzer helicopter in which Troy was riding when it crashed on Sept. 8, 2017. According to legal documents obtained by PEOPLE that were filed on Feb. 14, Angela is blaming the companies for “dangerous defects which caused” the death of her husband.
At the time of Troy’s death, a preliminary incident report by the NTSB cited engine trouble that occurred shortly after takeoff. Angela’s lawsuit claims that the pilot had invited the Montgomery Gentry singer on a sightseeing ride at the Flying W Airport & Resort in Medford, New Jersey, just hours before he and bandmate Eddie Montgomery were set to perform there. The engine issues made the helicopter “drop like a stone to the ground below,” according to the suit, leaving both Gentry and the pilot dead.
“Just as soon as the helicopter became airborne, the throttle cable jammed and the engine went to high speed,” state the lawsuit documents, as obtained by PEOPLE. “The decision was made to shut down the engine with the mixture control (i.e., cutting off the gas) at an altitude of 959 feet, or about 850 feet above ground level and perform a routine autorotation safely to the ground. Because of defects in the engine, throttle cable attachment and collective control, the helicopter did not enter autorotation as expected.”
The military version of the aircraft had been equipped with “modern crashworthy features,” according to the documents, but Troy was riding in the civilian version that lacked those securities. “In the event of an accident, occupants had virtually no chance to survive or be less injured,” read the documents.
Angela’s suit asks for “damages of more than $50,000,” along with interest and legal costs.
Troy is survived by Angela and their two daughters, Taylor, 24, and Kaylee, 15. Montgomery, who has admitted “there’s not a day that I don’t see it or it goes through my heart,” recently released his final album with Gentry, Here’s To You, on Feb. 2.