Nearly $7.5 Million Awarded After Heli-Ski Death of Billionaire

In a wrongful death lawsuit, an Anchorage, Alaska, jury awarded almost $7.5 million to the family of Czech billionaire Petr Kellner after he was killed in a 2021 heli-skiing accident.

Kellner died alongside four others—pilot Zachary Russell, guide Sean McManamy, guide Gregory Harms, and client Benjamin Larochaix—when an Airbus AS350B3 helicopter crashed near the Knik Glacier during a trip through Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. One person, David Horváth, survived but suffered severe injuries, hypothermia, and lost fingers to frostbite.

Two years after the crash, Kellner’s family filed the lawsuit, arguing that negligent flight monitoring and a delayed rescue response caused his death, listing Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, Soloy Helicopters (the operator of the Airbus) and Third Edge Heli as defendants. 

The jury settled on $1.2 million for pain and suffering and $6.283 million for economic losses, with fault distributed among the three defendants. 

“While this verdict does not change what happened, it does bring closure and much needed accountability,” a statement from Kellner’s estate shared with local news outlets said. “The jury found that Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, Soloy Helicopters, and Third Edge Alaska were all negligent.”

Anchorage Daily News reported that, in a statement, a Tordrillo spokesperson said that the lodge was found 20% at fault while Soloy and Third Edge bore a combined 80% of the fault. 

“We extend our sincere condolences to the Kellner family and to the families and loved ones of every person who was lost that day,” the statement said, noting that the crash involved “guides and team members.” 

An analysis of the accident by the National Transportation Safety Board found that the pilot made a mistake during landing and that the wreckage wasn’t located until three and a half hours after the crash. Investigators found that the helicopter didn’t have mechanical malfunctions or failures before the crash. 

The analysis noted that because the lodge and the helicopter operator didn’t activate emergency rescue plans sooner, the start of search-and-rescue operations was delayed. 

Amid the trial, Tordrillo’s lawyers argued that it wasn’t the delayed rescue but the crash itself that caused Kellner’s death, also saying that it was Soloy’s federally required responsibility to track the helicopter’s flight, the Anchorage Daily News reported. 

The outlet also reported that Kellner’s family said they settled with Soloy for several million dollars and that the helicopter outfit was dismissed from the lawsuit. 

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge continues to operate and, this year, was named the fourth best wilderness lodge in Alaska by USA Today. In 2025, it earned the top spot on the list. Olympic gold medalist Tommy Moe and heli-ski pioneer Mike Overcast founded the lodge.

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