OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The highest court in Washington state has ruled an aircraft company is not liable for a 2004 plane crash that killed seven anti-narcotics agents for the Mexican government.
The state Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Thursday in favor of Twin Commander Aircraft LLC. The majority said federal law bars certain lawsuits stemming from crashes of planes that are more than 18 years old.
The crash caused by rudder failure occurred in the central state of Aguascalientes.
The estates of the victims argued that although Twin Commander reported similar rudder problems from crashes in 2002 and 2003, it failed to report rudder problems involved in a fatal 1992 crash. They argued that could have resulted in the planes being grounded.
Court documents indicate the company’s headquarters is in Washington.
