S.J. Groves & Sons Co. v. Aerospatiale Helicopter Corp.

PETERSON, Justice.

This case involves a question certified to this court by the Federal District Court of Minnesota, arising out of an action involving the crash of a helicopter purchased by plaintiff, S.J. Groves and Sons Company (Groves), from defendant, Aerospatiale Helicopter Corporation (Aerospatiale).

In May 1977, Groves, a major highway contractor, contracted with the government of Bolivia to build a 32-mile, asphalt-paved highway, one of the highest altitude roadway construction projects ever undertaken, from La Paz to Cotapata, Bolivia. Groves had previously ordered from Aerospatiale…