Cougar sues chopper-maker over deadly crash

Cougar Helicopters and its insurers are suing Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. for more than $25 million in damages following the tragic crash of one of Cougar's Sikorsky helicopters near St. John's on March 12, 2009.

Seventeen people on the helicopter died after it slammed into the ocean 55 kilometres southeast of St. John's. One man, Robert Decker,survived.

Court documents allege Sikorsky "fraudulently misrepresented" the fact that its S-92 helicopter could continue to operate for a half hour after losing oil pressure.

Instead, it appears that on March 12, the Cougar Helicopter crashed 11 minutes after the crew noticed the helicopter was losing oil pressure.

Cougar also claims that Sikorsky failed to tell all helicopter operators of the severity of an August 2008 incident in Australia.

At that time, a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter made an emergency landing after two titanium studs failed, causing a loss of oil pressure.

Cougar says that's "precisely the same series of events that caused" the crash near St. John's in 2009.

U.S.-based Sikorsky has not filed a statement of defence. Cougar's lawsuit was filed on June 24, 2010.

VIH Aviation Group Company, the parent company of Cougar Helicopters, declined to comment on the case.