Alaska Jury Reaches Verdict in the Case of Petr Kellner's Fatal Helicopter Crash
On July 2, 2026, a jury in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska, Third Judicial District at Anchorage, returned a unanimous verdict in the civil lawsuit brought by the family of Petr Kellner in connection with the fatal helicopter crash that occurred in March 2021. The verdict determined liability for the delayed rescue operation following the crash and awarded damages to Mr. Kellner's surviving family members.
The Kellner family was represented by BBH, working in close cooperation with U.S. counsel Schwabe, Williamson & Wayat.
The jury found that Petr Kellner's death was caused, in part, by the critical delay in the rescue operation by Tordrillo Mountain Lodge (TML), which failed to deploy backup helicopters in a timely manner and did not activate its emergency response plan. The jury awarded total damages of USD 7.483 million, comprising USD 1.2 million for Petr Kellner's pre-death pain and suffering and USD 6.283 million for the financial losses suffered by his surviving family members.
The lawsuit was based on evidence showing that, after the helicopter crashed into a mountain ridge, the wreckage went unnoticed by the heli-skiing operation for several hours. The rescue team did not reach the crash site until nearly six hours after the accident.
The jury's verdict confirmed a chain of failures by three key entities: Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, the operator of the heli-skiing program; Soloy Helicopters, which operated the helicopter; and Third Edge Heli, the company providing mountain guides. Soloy Helicopters had previously accepted responsibility for the pilot's negligence and reached a confidential settlement with the Kellner family. The jury's verdict subsequently confirmed Tordrillo Mountain Lodge's significant failure to implement its emergency response procedures. Third Edge Heli ceased operations following the accident and no longer has a legal successor.
The case represented an exceptionally complex cross-border dispute in which BBH coordinated the client's legal representation for more than four years in cooperation with U.S. counsel. The jury's unanimous verdict marks the culmination of years of work aimed at establishing accountability for the tragic events of March 2021.
Further details on the tragedy, the investigation, and the court proceedings are available in the article "Eight Seconds" published in the latest issue of Forbes Czech Republic.