A Montana federal judge has added pre- and postjudgment interest to most of a $22 million verdict against Kaman Aerospace Corp. in a lawsuit over a helicopter that crashed five years ago, killing a veteran pilot who was fighting a wildfire.

Under a ruling issued Friday, U.S. Chief District Judge Brian Morris of the District of Montana said Kaman must pay 10.5% interest on $12 million of the verdict. Half of the amount subject to interest relates to the destroyed K-1200 helicopter (K-Max), the judge ruled. That $6 million began accruing interest on Aug. 24, 2020, when a defect in the helicopter’s rotor blades allegedly caused Thomas Duffy, 40, described in filings as a “world-class rescue pilot,” to lose control and crash, according to the court record.

The total interest amount still must be calculated. Kaman previously agreed in April to pay $8 million to settle wrongful-death claims brought by Duffy’s family. After trial, a jury awarded Central Copters Inc., Duffy’s employer, which owned four K-Max helicopters, $22 million in May.

The lawsuit alleges the K-Max crashed due to a failure in at least one of the helicopter’s servo flaps, components that allow a pilot to control the pitch of the rotor blades. The jury rejected claims that the servo flaps were defectively designed, instead finding a manufacturing defect, according to the verdict.

Duffy died on Aug. 24, 2020, while on a mission to drop water on the White River wildfire in Oregon’s Mount Hood National Forest, according to the lawsuit. Central Copters, which held an exclusive contract with the U.S. Forest Service, hired him for the job.

In addition to interest on the value of the destroyed K-Max Duffy was flying, the judge said Kaman must also pay interest on three other K-Max helicopters that Central Copters says it sold at a loss after the crash.

Following the incident, Central Copters grounded its entire fleet of K-Max helicopters. Each was valued at $5.2 million to $5.9 million, according to the company’s expert, but the helicopters were later sold below market value. The jury awarded $6 million for losses tied to the three grounded helicopters.

Overall, the verdict included $6 million for the destroyed helicopter, $6 million for the reduced value of the other helicopters, and $10 million in lost past and future profits.

Judge Morris ordered 10.5% interest on the $12 million related to the helicopters, with the date of sale determining when pre-judgment interest begins to accrue. He also awarded Central Copters nearly $40,000 in taxable costs and denied the company’s request for interest on $958,000 in lost profits.

Counsel for the parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.

Kaman is represented by Mark S. Williams of Williams Law Firm PC, and by Kevin M. Smith and Robyn Gallagher of Wiggin and Dana LLP.

Central Copters and the Duffy family are represented by Kellie Gaston Sironi of Gaston Law Firm, by Matthew B. Hayhurst and Tyler M. Stockton of Boone Karlberg PC, and by Calvin J. Stacey of Stacey & Funyak.

The case is Central Copters Inc. v. Kaman Aerospace Corp., case number 2:21-cv-00071, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana.