Says Engine Company Not Liable For 2008 Accident In Kentucky

Continental Motors has been found not to be liable for an accident that resulted in the fatal injury of a Louisville, KY, man in 2008. A jury in Mobile, AL, where the company is based, determined that the accident was not caused by a manufacturing defect in the crankshaft.

Defense attorneys for Continental argued that the failure was due to mistakes made by the company that had overhauled the engine of the Beech 36. The NTSB probable cause report, which is not admissible as evidence in court, indicates the accident was the result of "the pilot’s continued operation of the aircraft with known deficiencies. Contributing to this accident was the improper sealing of the engine case during overhaul."

The suit was brought by Natalie Freeman, the widow of the pilot fatally injured in the accident. Her attorneys argued that the crankshaft failed on the airplane, causing it to go down. Attorney Norman Waldrop, who represented Continental, told the online news site AL.com that aviation companies as a rule face too many lawsuits. "It's not the product. Most of the time, it's pilot error or maintenance ... or weather," he said.

Freeman's attorneys say they will likely appeal the jury's ruling because the judge would not allow the panel to hear testimony about other crankshaft failures on Continental engines.

Continental was bought in 2011 by China-based AVIC International Holding Corp.

FMI: Probable Cause Report