A charter flight carrying two South Florida men crashed in southern France earlier this week, leaving the families to question what really happened. Robert Helton of Pembroke Pines and Dale Popik of Delray Beach were two of the three crewmembers aboard the plane. A 30-year old female crewmember also perished in the flight. According to Helton’s mother, “We really don’t know what happened, other than they were on a charter flight, on their way to an airport to pick up some passengers.”
Helton was working as a pilot aboard the Glstream G-IV plane when it veered off the runway during a landing attempt on a small runway in Le Castellet, France. The plane, which is owned by Universal Jet Aviation of Boca Raton, can hold up to 16 passengers, but had no passengers aboard when it crashed. According to French news reports, “the plane touched down at a high rate of speed, raced by the control tower and veered left off the runway.” The plane burst into flames and the cockpit of the plane was destroyed.
French authorities are investigating the crash and the bodies have been taken to the morgue in Marseilles for autopsies. The plane’s black box is in possession of the French national police. At this time, Universal stated that its main focus was supporting the needs of the crew’s family. A special air police unit of the National Gendarmerie is investigating the accident.
Families grieving for 2 South Florida men killed in plane crash in France, www.sun-sentinel.com July 15, 2012.
The loss of this entire crew is a tragic event for both the South Florida and French communities. The lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona are experienced aviation accident attorneys who have dedicated over twenty years to helping victims who have been injured in a motor vehicle accident. The Miami insurance litigation lawyers are also experienced in recovering compensation for wrongful death victims. The Broward personal injury attorneys understand how emotionally traumatic losing a loved one can be and are equipped in helping you handle the loss and recover compensation for the loss of your loved one. Call (305) 661-2008 today for your free consultation!
The Miami wrongful death attorneys at the Friedland | Carmona handle all types of personal injury accidents throughout the state of Florida, including Boca Raton, Homestead, North Miami, South Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, Kendall, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. The Friedland | Carmona handles all types of personal injury cases, including wrongful death, defective products, medical malpractice, slip and falls and construction site injuries. Call today and let our family take care of your family!