An Arizona judge has upheld liability limitations for aircraft manufacturers on older aircraft. Last month, Cessna successfully defended itself against litigation resulting from the crash of a 1980 Cessna 210 in 2000. To back his ruling, the Maricopa County judge cited the General Aviation Revitalization Act, signed into law 1994. This legislation gives aircraft manufacturers an 18-year liability limit on the manufacture of general aviation aircraft. Since the 210 involved in this case was 20 years old, Cessna was protected from liability. ] The crash killed the pilot and his wife. The outcome of the suit is typical of the almost ironclad nature of this piece of law, which apparently leaves little in the way of legal wiggle room for plaintiffs. In this case, the judge found no grounds for making exceptions to the 18-year liability limit and declared the law is constitutional. “The power of precedence is a very important thing,” Ron Williams, Cessna’s lawyer, told The Wichita Eagle. “The law has been upheld each time it has been challenged,” Williams said.
Cessna Wins Lawsuit Dismissal
Key Takeaways:
- An Arizona judge upheld an 18-year liability limitation for aircraft manufacturers, protecting Cessna from a lawsuit related to a 2000 crash involving a 1980 aircraft.
- The ruling was based on the 1994 General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA), which establishes an 18-year statute of repose for general aviation aircraft manufacturers.
- This decision reinforces the "almost ironclad" nature of GARA, which has consistently been upheld in court, limiting legal recourse for plaintiffs in cases involving older aircraft.
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