Insurers Sue Maker of Crashed Medical Helicopter

Two insurance companies are suing the French manufacturer of a medical helicopter that crashed at Norfolk two years ago, killing three people aboard.

The lawsuits, filed last week in federal court in Omaha, Neb., come two weeks after the National Transportation Safety Board ruled that a faulty tail rotor and an inexperienced pilot were the likely causes of the crash.

Killed in the crash were Lori Schrempp, 41, an emergency room nurse from Yankton, S.D.; pilot Phil Herring, 43, of Lincoln, Neb.; and paramedic Patrick Scollard, 40, of Sioux City, Iowa.

The LifeNet of the Heartland helicopter had just left a Norfolk hospital on June 21, 2002 when the pilot reported trouble. It crashed at the airport.

United States Aviation Underwriters and Employers Insurance of Wausau (Wis.) are suing the manufacturer, Aerospatiale and Eurocopter. The insurance companies are seeking reimbursement for payouts to employers and families of the three killed in the crash.

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