YouTuber Andrew Flair was sued for wrongful death in August 2023 after 66-year-old electrician Joseph “Joe” Arkfeld was fatally crushed by a steel door at a decommissioned Atlas-F missile silo Flair was renovating near York, Nebraska. The Andrew Flair lawsuit, brought by Arkfeld’s widow Mary, settled in early February 2025 for a confidential cash sum, and York County District Judge James Stecker dismissed the case after both sides reported an “amicable resolution of their disputes.”1Lincoln Journal Star. YouTuber, Widow Settle Lawsuit Over Electrician Killed at York Nuclear Silo
What Happened at the Silo
Flair, an Omaha creator with more than 2.9 million YouTube subscribers, bought the abandoned Cold War-era silo in fall 2022 and began documenting its conversion into what he called an “Ultimate Doomsday Preppers’ Paradise.”2Nebraska.tv. Nebraska YouTuber Faces Lawsuit Over Fatal Accident at Missile Silo Renovation Site The only way in or out of the underground facility was a heavy steel door operated by a makeshift rig of an electric winch, steel cable, pulley, metal rods, jumper cables, and a car battery.31011 NOW. YouTuber, Widow Appear to Settle Lawsuit Over Electrician Killed at York Nuclear Silo
On December 20, 2022, Arkfeld, a retired electrician hired as a contractor by Andrew and Michael Flair, stayed at the site alone after Michael left in the afternoon. At 8:26 that evening, the York County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a man trapped between the door and a wall. Arkfeld’s son-in-law had found him pinned. He was already dead from internal injuries when deputies arrived, and a tow truck had to pry the door open. The sheriff’s office ruled the death an accident with no suspected foul play.4Omaha World-Herald. Omaha YouTuber Faces Lawsuit Over Death at His York Nuclear Silo
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Mary Arkfeld’s complaint named Andrew Flair along with three of his companies: Beefcake Construction LLC, Andrew Flair Outdoors LLC, and Hooya Enterprises LLC. The suit described the door mechanism as a “reckless Rube Goldberg machine” requiring an “unnecessary and unreasonable combination” of components, including metal rods, jumper cables, a car battery, a winch, a pulley system, hooks, and a rusted stairway railing. The door was said to close with more than 2,000 pounds of force.1Lincoln Journal Star. YouTuber, Widow Settle Lawsuit Over Electrician Killed at York Nuclear Silo
The complaint alleged that Arkfeld received inadequate instruction on how to operate and lock the door, an assertion the defense denied. It further alleged the winch had a defect involving excess cable that caused the door to behave erratically, sometimes slowing or briefly stopping before dropping suddenly at full speed. The suit also cited Flair’s YouTube renovation videos, claiming he “mocked safety protocols and safe working conditions” in his content.4Omaha World-Herald. Omaha YouTuber Faces Lawsuit Over Death at His York Nuclear Silo
The case was originally filed in Douglas County District Court, where the defendants moved to dismiss. It was refiled in 2024 and proceeded in York County District Court.
How the Case Settled
In early February 2025, Judge Stecker dismissed the case after Mary Arkfeld’s attorney moved to do so, with both sides confirming a settlement. Filings in a related probate case in Douglas County Court showed that Andrew Flair Outdoors LLC, Hooya Enterprises LLC, and Michael Flair offered to pay a cash sum, but the amount was filed under seal.5KNLV Radio. Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against YouTuber Settled Michael Flair, Andrew’s father, had not initially been named as a defendant but was part of the settlement.
Nebraska law requires county court approval for wrongful death settlements of $5,000 or more, and proceeds cannot be distributed until the court oversees the process. That requirement is why the financial terms moved through probate rather than surfacing in the district court dismissal.6Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 30-810
Flair’s only public comment came through his attorney, who said that “Andrew and his family were saddened by the tragic passing of Mr. Arkfeld last December” but declined further comment during the proceedings.4Omaha World-Herald. Omaha YouTuber Faces Lawsuit Over Death at His York Nuclear Silo As of February 2025, the YouTube videos documenting the renovation, including those the lawsuit accused of mocking safety standards, remained posted on Flair’s channel.31011 NOW. YouTuber, Widow Appear to Settle Lawsuit Over Electrician Killed at York Nuclear Silo
Why OSHA Did Not Investigate
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration did not investigate the death. Because Arkfeld was classified as a self-employed independent contractor with no employees of his own, the incident fell outside OSHA’s jurisdiction under federal guidance, which gives the agency no authority to cite or regulate a self-employed construction worker in that situation.7OSHA. Standard Interpretation – Self-Employed Construction Workers That absence of a regulatory investigation left the civil wrongful death suit as the primary avenue for accountability.