Army widow sues Boeing over Apache helicopter crash that killed her husband

In April 2023, a tragic accident occurred during a training mission involving AH-64 Apache helicopters in Alaska, resulting in the death of Warrant Officer Stewart Duane Wayment, a 32-year-old U.S. Army aviator. The incident unfolded when one Apache helicopter collided with another while returning to Fort Wainwright from an exercise at the Donnelly Training Area. As a result of the crash, Wayment, who was seated in the forward gunner's position, perished, while the pilot in the rear seat survived. Wayment was a dedicated father of three boys and a respected member of his community. Following this catastrophic event, Kiara Sotelo Wayment filed a product liability lawsuit against Boeing, alongside BAE Systems and Elbit Systems, accusing them of negligence and claiming the Apache helicopter’s design was dangerously defective. According to the lawsuit, the claims made by Boeing regarding the helicopter's 'enhanced' survivability features were misleading, leading to Wayment's untimely death. The complaint alleges that the design of the front cockpit and its components increased the vulnerability of the gunner in a frontal impact crash, which Wayment was subjected to during the incident. Moreover, the complaint states that the lack of adequate crashworthiness in the Apache and the failure of its restraints contributed to the fatality, while the seated position of the gunner exposed them to life-threatening risks during an accident. Wayment's attorney, Joshua Haffner, remarked that the family's lives have been irrevocably altered since Stewart's death, emphasizing that being aware of the dangers involved is critical for service members and their families. The companies named in the lawsuit have largely refrained from commenting due to ongoing litigation, with Boeing stating they do not discuss pending cases. The fallout from Wayment's death raises significant questions about the safety of military aircraft and the responsibilities of manufacturers to provide honest assessments about their products.