One year later, cause of fatal Sevier County helicopter crash remains mystery

Officials investigate where a sightseeing helicopter crashed, Tuesday, April 5, 2016, near Sevierville, Tenn. Investigators were headed to the scene of the deadly sightseeing helicopter crash near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee.
Officials investigate where a sightseeing helicopter crashed, Tuesday, April 5, 2016, near Sevierville, Tenn. Investigators were headed to the scene of the deadly sightseeing helicopter crash near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee.

One year after a sightseeing helicopter went down in a field behind a Sevier County outlet mall, killing four passengers and the pilot, national investigators have still not said what caused the fiery crash, but a lawsuit blames a faulty fuel system and bad flying.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board originally said the probe could take up to a year, but as of Monday, the accident remained "under active investigation," agency spokesman Eric Weiss said.

The 1977 Bell 206-L LongRanger, operated by Smoky Mountain Helicopters, went down April 4, 2016, at about 4:10 p.m. The crash killed Johna Morvant, 49; her daughter, Peyton Rasmussen, 22; her son, Parker Rasmussen, 18; her daughter's boyfriend, Michael Glenn Mastalez, 21; and the pilot, Jason Dahl, 38.

Read more at our news partner's website, knoxnews.com.

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