In the suit filed June 13 in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas, the late Rory J. Bourgeois’ family blame the subject event on Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Rolls-Royce North America Holdings, Inc., and Coy Leasing, L.L.C. Each entity committed a form of negligence in connection with the Bell 206-L-4 helicopter that carried the decedent, the complaint alleges.
Bourgeois was in the process of being transported in the helicopter between the Eugene Island 331 and 317A platforms when the aircraft crashed and sank.
Supposedly killed on impact, Bourgeois’ body “was retrieved from the water, still strapped in his seat in the helicopter” a day later.
Per court documents, Bell designed and manufactured the helicopter while Allison designed its engine. Coy is the apparent owner of said helicopter.
“The helicopter, its engine, and its systems and components were in a dangerous and defective condition, making them unsafe for their intended uses,” the original petition says.
Bourgeois’ family consequently seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
Attorney Marcus R. Spagnoletti of the law firm Spagnoletti & Co. in Houston is representing the plaintiffs.
Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case No. 3:16-cv-00154