Payout for Family of Heliski Victim
6th July 2026
Last modified on July 9th, 2026
The Czech billionaire, Petr Kellner, died in an accident in Alaska in March 2021. Damages of $7.5m include $1.2m for pain & suffering and $6.6m for economic loss.
Kellner, 56, was one of three international clients aboard an Airbus AS350-B3 helicopter operated by Soloy Helicopters during a snowboarding trip booked through Tordrillo Mountain Lodge.
Mr Kellner survived the initial crash but died before rescuers could reach him.
PlanetSKI reported on the accident at the time.
Federal investigators concluded the crash was caused by pilot error in whiteout conditions.
The trial at Anchorage Superior Court trial lasted five weeks.
Fault was allocated among the three original defendants — Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, Soloy Helicopters and Third Edge Alaska.
Jurors found that the lodge’s delayed rescue effort contributed to Kellner’s injuries and death.
Soloy Helicopters, the Wasilla-based operator of the aircraft, had already reached a settlement with the Kellner family for several million dollars and was dismissed from the suit before trial.
The Kellner Estate said the verdict brought a measure of closure.
“While this verdict does not change what happened, it does bring closure and much needed accountability,” it said in a statement.
“We hope this case encourages the heli-ski industry to revisit its emergency procedures so that other families do not suffer similar tragedies.”
Petr Kellner founded the investment group PPF in 1991 and built it into the largest private investment group in Central and Eastern Europe.
It had operations across financial services, telecommunications and media in around two dozen countries.
Also killed were pilot Zachary Russell, 33, of Anchorage, guide Sean McManamy, 38, of Girdwood; guide Gregory Harms, 52, of Colorado; and client Benjamin Larochaix, 50, of the Czech Republic.
The lone survivor, Czech snowboarder David Horváth, was trapped in the wreckage for hours and last saw Kellner walking outside the helicopter after the crash.
Rather than disputing the cause of the crash itself, the lawsuit turned on what happened in the hours afterward.
The flight follower assigned to track the helicopter waited 41 minutes after its last recorded signal before notifying a supervisor, and that nearly two hours passed before the lodge’s flight team notified Soloy that the aircraft was overdue.
A rescue team did not reach the crash site until roughly five hours and 40 minutes after the crash.
The estate said jurors found the lodge’s failure to secure backup helicopters and activate its emergency plan in a timely manner contributed to Kellner’s death.
It also found Soloy Helicopters bore significant responsibility because it was accountable for the pilot’s errors.
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