Confidential Settlement in Weather-Related Helicopter Crash of Stevie Ray Vaughan

Corboy & Demetrio partner Thomas Demetrio helped obtain a confidential settlement on behalf of the family of blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, a member of the band Double Trouble, who was killed in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990 in East Troy, Wisconsin.

Vaughan’s band had just performed a show with other blues musicians, including Eric Clapton, and loaded everything up on helicopters to move to their next performance. Vaughan was in a helicopter with experienced pilot Jeff Brown, and three members of Clapton’s touring crew. The helicopter slammed into the side of a ski hill. There was no evidence of mechanical failure, and the helicopter was flying in terrible weather conditions.

All five passengers died instantly in the crash.   

Mr. Demetrio filed suits on behalf of Vaughan’s family against Omniflight Helicopters Inc., the owner and operator of the helicopter that crashed. Vaughan’s family and Omniflight were able to reach a settlement out of court for a confidential amount in 1995.