Michael Fournier's family secured a $15 million settlement after a 2020 firefighting helicopter crash caused by hydraulic failure. The tragedy highlights risks pilots face and importance of maintenance accountability.

The family of a pilot who died when his helicopter crashed while fighting a Southern California wildfire in 2020 has reached a $15 million settlement with the company that maintained the aircraft.

Pilot error was the root cause of the helicopter crash that killed five Marines during a severe storm near Pine Valley in February 2024, the Marines Corps said in an accident report released on Wednesday.