The aftermath of a heartbreaking incident that befell the Charlotte community in 2022 continues to unfold, as legal action is being pursued by the bereaved. Kerry Tayag, widow of pilot Christopher "Chip" Tayag, has filed a lawsuit against Robinson Helicopter Company Inc., alleging negligence following a catastrophic helicopter crash that took her husband's life along with WBTV meteorologist Jason Meyers, according to information from QC News. The lawsuit, filed precisely two years after the fatal event, cites a failure to address known issues with Robinson's aircraft components that led to the accident.
The investigation that followed the fatal crash off Interstate 77 had unearthed a notable detail, the left control rod end of the Robinson R44 helicopter was found disconnected, this instrumental failure was said to render the helicopter uncontrollable, leading to the accident, as claimed in the wrongful death lawsuit, per a report by The Charlotte Observer. The lawsuit further accuses Robinson of long-standing awareness, dating back to at least 2003, of the fact that critical fasteners used in their helicopters were susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, potentially causing the metals to crack and even leading to catastrophic disconnection.
Adding to the complexity of the matter, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded in May 2024 that the crash was due to a loose bolt among other improperly installed hardware, detailing that one spacer had been installed backward, compromising the aircraft for approximately three years; furthermore, these components were expected to undergo pre-flight inspection by the pilot, a standard that was evidently not met according to the NTSB's findings, as detailed by WCNC. The Tayag suit hones in on the negligence of Robinson to keep their maintenance manuals updated, particularly regarding the R44 model operations, an omission that the lawsuit contends is part of the chain of failings leading to the tragic loss of life.
While this latest legal bid for justice is set in motion, it's not the sole lawsuit stemming from the accident, earlier Jillian Myers, wife of the deceased meteorologist Jason Myers, had filed suit against Wilson Air Center and other entities over allegations of contaminated fuel, though that particular case was dismissed, her litigation against TTWN Media and parent company iHeartMedia for purportedly inadequate inspection of the helicopter is set to proceed, with a trial scheduled for October 15, 2025, according to information from WCNC.
