A major shift in North Carolina legal precedent could soon shield airplane manufacturers from long-running lawsuits. The state Supreme Court has cleared the way for an airplane parts maker to appeal a key ruling in a case involving a fatal 2015 plane crash.
At the center of the dispute are manufacturers Avco Corp. and Lycoming Engines. They argue that under federal law, specifically the General Aviation Revitalization Act, they are immune from lawsuits over parts that have been in service for more than 18 years.
In a landmark order, the high court overturned decades of precedent, ruling that this "statute of repose" is actually a form of legal immunity. Because it's a "substantial right," the court says the companies can appeal immediately rather than waiting for a full trial to finish.
The decision now heads back to the Court of Appeals, where the companies will try to have the claims dismissed entirely.
