On September 8, mere hours before country duo Montgomery Gentry was set to play a concert at an airport and resort in New Jersey, musician Troy Gentry boarded a helicopter for a pre-show joyride. Within minutes, disaster struck as engine problems crippled the two-seater. It tumbled out of the sky and landed in a wooded area just off the runway. The pilot, James Evan Robinson, was killed on impact. Gentry was transported to a nearby hospital, where he passed away with Eddie Montgomery by his side.
Montgomery recently spoke out about his late partner, who was eulogized and memorialized at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry shortly after his death. He spoke of the difficulties of coping with his friend’s untimely death, the difficult decisions they’ve had in the past about what to do if one member of the duo passed away and shared memories of their 20-year friendship.
“Nashville didn’t put this duo together, we did,” Montgomery said. “We were friends before we were ever in the music business.”
DEFECTIVE AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS AND PRODUCT LIABILITY LAW
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a report on the condition and cause of Troy Gentry’s death, where it listed engine failure as the likely cause. Several minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported over the airport’s UNICOM frequency that his throttle inputs were not controlling the engine’s RPM. After discussing possible ways to land the aircraft despite its control problems, the pilot cut the engine and performed an autorotation maneuver, increasing resistance on the rotor blades and turning the helicopter into something like a glider. But during the quiet descent, a high-pitched whine erupted from the helicopter and it crashed into the ground.
When defects in an aircraft lead to injuries or death, the victims and their family members may be entitled to damages including medical expenses, lost wages, funeral and burial expenses and more. Our firm can help investigate your aviation accident to determine if a foreseeable defect could have caused your pain and suffering.