Lawsuits claim negligence in fatal medical helicopter crash

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Lawsuits filed over a medical helicopter crash that killed four in North Carolina are alleging negligence and pointing to a warning issued by federal aviation safety officials.

The two lawsuits were filed Monday in Durham County, the destination of the Duke Life Flight helicopter carrying patient Mary Bartlett from an Elizabeth City hospital. The crash 12 minutes after takeoff killed Bartlett, nurse Kris Harrison, another nurse and the pilot. The families of Barlett and Harrison sued.

The lawsuits point to a Federal Aviation Administration bulletin last month that the crash may be the second this year for that type of helicopter.

A National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report days after the Sept. 8 crash said witnesses saw dark smoke streaming from the helicopter before it crashed in a field.