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A Montana federal judge has ordered Kaman Aerospace Corp. to pay 10.5% interest on a substantial portion of a $22 million jury verdict tied to a fatal 2020 helicopter crash, tightening the financial toll on the aircraft manufacturer after jurors found a manufacturing defect caused the tragedy.

In a ruling Friday, U.S. Chief District Judge Brian Morris said Kaman must pay interest on $12 million of the total verdict, covering the destroyed K-1200 K-Max helicopter and three others that Central Copters Inc. later sold at a loss following the disaster.

The interest, which continues to accrue, stems from an Aug. 24, 2020 crash in Oregon’s Mount Hood National Forest, where veteran pilot Thomas Duffy, 40, lost control of the K-Max helicopter while battling the White River wildfire. Duffy, described as a “world-class rescue pilot,” died in the crash.

A Fatal Flight: Manufacturing Defect Found

Central Copters, which operated under contract with the U.S. Forest Service, sued Kaman, alleging that servo flaps on the rotor blades—key components controlling blade pitch—had failed due to poor manufacturing.

A Montana jury agreed in May, finding that while the servo flaps were not defectively designed, they were defectively manufactured, leading to the catastrophic failure.

The $22 million verdict covered:

• $6 million for the destroyed helicopter Duffy piloted,

• $6 million for the lost value of the company’s remaining grounded K-Max fleet, and

• $10 million for past and future lost profits.

Kaman had previously paid $8 million in April to settle wrongful-death claims filed by Duffy’s family, but the company continued to dispute Central Copters’ financial loss claims.

Interest Tacks Millions More Onto Verdict

Judge Morris ruled that interest on half of the $12 million tied to the helicopters began accruing on the day of the crash, while interest on the rest would be calculated based on the dates of the helicopter sales.

The court also awarded Central Copters nearly $40,000 in taxable costs, though it denied interest on $958,000 in lost profits. The exact amount of interest due will be finalized after further calculation.

Immediately after Duffy’s crash, Central Copters grounded its entire K-Max fleet, citing safety concerns. Each aircraft—valued between $5.2 million and $5.9 million—was later sold below market price, deepening the company’s financial wounds.

Tragedy Echoes Through Aviation Industry

The 2020 crash sent ripples through the firefighting aviation community. The K-Max, a workhorse helicopter known for its precision and lifting power, was considered reliable—until the accident exposed vulnerabilities in its construction.

Experts testified that Kaman could have identified and addressed the flaw earlier, potentially saving Duffy’s life. The case underscores the life-and-death stakes of aircraft manufacturing standards and the enormous costs of cutting corners.

While Kaman has not commented on the ruling, the company’s representatives—Mark S. Williams of Williams Law Firm PC and Kevin M. Smith and Robyn Gallagher of Wiggin and Dana LLP—are expected to challenge aspects of the judgment.

Central Copters and the Duffy family are represented by Kellie Gaston Sironi of Gaston Law Firm, Matthew B. Hayhurst and Tyler M. Stockton of Boone Karlberg PC, and Calvin J. Stacey of Stacey & Funyak.